Jennifer Craw and the Riddle of the King 12
by jcwriter
Summary: Series 3 bk 5: Jennifer and Severus find themselves surrounded in mystery when Thomas Craw's past comes to call on the Snape residence. A new student means new trouble for the kids even the Pact itself may be in peril. So many secrets... so little time
1. A Study in Scarlet

_A/N Welcome to book 5 of the Destiny Series (which begins with Diamonds of Time.) In every book, I've tried to have a little bit of a unique quality to it...this book has a couple of unique qualities; one being I had to do more research for this one than any other... the other being that this is a blending homage to several different authors: first, obviously, JKRowling. The second...also obvious in this book, Arthur Conan Doyle...and the third not-so obvious T.H. White._

_All writers are influenced by what they read...even unconsciously...fanfiction just gives us a little more room with that. I see a lot of T.H. White's version of Merlin influence in the Harry Potter books...the owls, for example...and the way magic works in general. So, I based my Merlin character on him (although I also must note that Viviane is based on the Morte d'Artur version of that particular character.) In this book, the homage paid is the Questing Beast. In my stories, Snape has always been rather fascinated with the ideas behind the logical reasonings of Sherlock Holmes. This was insituted because I saw a lot of parallels between the character and he and the reason for that is summed up very well in the very first Doyle quote in the book, which is why it's in there. It also helps set the stage for a complex murder plot heavily influenced by Doyle's work as well as a flavor of victorian age adventure stories. Severus is without a doubt the major player of this book, as well as Thomas Craw who, trying to cope with learning how to live outside of being a fugitive, turns to his past for sanctity. It may be strange bedfellows indeed, these three homages, but hopefully you'll enjoy it. Last revision 4-08_

Jennifer Craw and the Riddle of the King

Chapter One

A Study in Scarlet

_'His very person and appearance were such as to strike the attention of the most casual observer. In height he was rather over six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to which I have alluded; and his thin, hawk-like nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness and decision. His chin, too, had the prominence and squareness which mark the man of determination. His hands were invariably blotted with ink and stained with chemicals, yet he was possessed of extraordinary delicacy of touch, as I frequently had occasion to observe when I watched him manipulating his fragile philosophical instruments.'_

A quiet hour in the house next door to one of the most famous previous residences in London was nearly unheard of in the summer months when the two Professors and four students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were at home. On what felt like borrowed time, Severus Snape, Defense teacher and Security Advisor for the school, snuck off to the study for a few moments from one of his favorite books; the Complete Novels and Stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But silence invites disruption, and Severus was immediately alerted by the sound of someone walking on the hollow stairs. He quickly put what was in his hand in his pocket, reaching for his strong anise tea and taking a drink of the cold liquid, making a slight face at the flavor.

"Severus?"

Jennifer Craw Snape stepped into the study, sniffing the air. She sighed and shook her head as leaned on his chair, reading over his shoulder. Severus took off his reading spectacles and gazed up at his lovely wife, her auburn hair falling in her face despite her attempts to pile it up, her face deceptively young for her actual age.

"So this is where you've gotten to. My father is driving me crazy. And why is it so hazy? You haven't been making potions in here, have you?" Jennifer asked.

"It must be the fireplace. I'll have the House Elves look into it," Severus said, avoiding her gaze by sticking his nose in his book.

"While you're at it, you might want to ask them if they misplaced some of your memorabilia," Jennifer said, going over to the corner display case.

"What?"

"The pipe I gave you isn't in its case… perhaps you mislaid it? Or more likely, perhaps it's in your Cloak Chest? Still smoking?" Jennifer said evenly, Severus lowering his book. "I hope you don't have anything flammable in there."

"I was merely holding it in my mouth. I was not inhaling," Severus said defensively, taking out his calabash pipe.

"I knew giving you that pipe was a bad idea," Jennifer chuckled. "If I had remembered who I was and who you were at that point, I would have never given it to you. I knew you would be tempted. That is just tobacco in there I hope," she said, sitting on his lap so he would be forced to put his book down and look at her.

"Mint tobacco. Besides, this is only the second time, and I only plan to smoke occasionally when I get some time to myself, and you know how rare that is. And just until I get a nice patina on the meerschaum," Severus grumped.

"Mm hm. And you've forgotten, it would seem, that your wife is a Truth Seeker?" Jennifer said, smiling enigmatically as she read the thoughts lingering behind his eyes. "Does Doctor Sagittari know you've taken up this nasty habit?"

"It's hardly a habit…"

"And what if the children happen to see you? Pretty soon they'll all be smoking pipes too."

"For some strange reason I highly doubt that," Severus said, putting out the pipe. "Besides, I never criticize you about your bad habits. This is hardly the time to start on mine!"

"Bad habits? What bad habits?" Jennifer stared at him.

"The way you carry on in front of a mirror and complement yourself no less," Severus said.

"Well I have to get it from somewhere, don't I?" Jennifer challenged. "And I may talk to mirrors, but at least I don't snore loud enough to wake up the dead in Wales."

"And you pick apart your food instead of eating it, rather like a troupe of little birds pecking at a piece of bread."

"And I don't hide my mood swings behind a cloak of "Professionalism,"" Jennifer said, holding up two fingers on each hand for quotation marks.

"You don't try to hide your mood swings at all," he squinted.

"Of course not, I'm a woman. I don't have to," Jennifer said indignantly.

"Yes, and how like a woman to take advantage of her gender. It is no wonder Holmes was never interested in women."

"And what about Irene Adler?"

"That was purely professional," Severus protested. "She was married to another man."

"There, you see? When all else fails, you go professional," Jennifer teased him brazenly.

"Actually, I was still thinking more of taking advantage of your gender," Severus said, drawing her closer with a smile he reserved just for her.

"Mum?"

Jennifer quickly stood up and Severus right behind her as their oldest daughter Alexandria peered in the door, the two of them too distracted to hear her coming up the stairs. She was dressed in Victorian period costume, the auburn-haired blossoming beauty frowning at her parents strangely.

"Oh! Um, so you're off to work?" Jennifer said.

"Yes, Mum. You wouldn't happen to have any Muggle money handy? I haven't cashed my check yet," Alex asked.

"Why don't you just come home for lunch today? The museum is right next door…"

"Because every time I do that everyone at work wonders how I could possibly be getting home and back in time considering that our Muggle postal address is halfway across town," Alex sighed then sniffed the air, spying the pipe on the end table. "Father, have you taken up smoking?"

Jennifer glared at him.

"Of course not. I am merely burning tobacco in it to help the pipe's patina," Severus said, daring her to question his answer.

"Well I hope that's all it is. I hear growing new lungs is a very painful process…"

"Maybe there's some spare paper money under the vase in the living room," Jennifer interrupted quickly, smiling. "Why don't you go check?"

"Yes, Mum. Maybe I'll stop by the Alley later and pick up a bolt for this door after work too," Alex added mischievously as she headed back downstairs.

"Smart ass. How dare she go and grow up on us!" Jennifer sighed, shaking her head wistfully towards the door.

"Yes, I know what you mean," Severus said, coming up behind her and putting his hands on Jennifer's shoulders. "But look on the bright side. In six more years, they'll all be grown and out of school and we can have the house completely to ourselves," he said kissing her neck.

"JEN-GIRL!" A voice bellowed from somewhere above them. Jennifer let out a loud frustrated groan.

"Well…almost to ourselves," Severus amended sheepishly.

"How did I adopt this sixth child again?" Jennifer asked irritably. They went down the stairs and out into the hallway aware of her father leaning over the banister at the top of the other staircase that led to the third floor.

"Those blasted good-for-nothing House Elves of yours aren't listening to me again!" Thomas shouted down at her.

"Probably because I told them not to listen to you until you learned how to treat them with a little bit of respect," Jennifer said.

"What? They're House Elves, for crater's sake! Don't tell me you're on the vomit band wagon!"

"Thomas, language please," Severus sighed as he stepped in behind her. He took a moment to glance in the backyard where their youngest two children, Andrew and Alicia were working on their summer reading.

"It's SPEW, Dad, and no of course not, but I'm not an advocate for House Elf abuse either. Now I'm starting to see just why we never had Elves in America…"

"Jen-girl, there are no Elves in America. They have…Brownies…" he said with disgust, shuddering at the thought before stomping down the stairs. "But these Elves are nearly as bad! And now you're supporting them! Do you realize you are supporting the starvation of your own father? Even at Azkaban we got regular meals."

"Well, you could always go back," Severus said calmly.

"Only if I can kill Lucius Malfoy first," Thomas said.

"I think he just needs to learn how to open an ice box and make something for himself once in a while," Jennifer said, reluctantly heading for the kitchen.

"I would if I preferred rabbit food but I'm not eating salad every meal, nor am I going to stoop to cooking in or on or under anything that has to be plugged in," Thomas grumbled, looking distant as he stared out in the backyard. "How I miss your mother's cooking, Jen-girl. What a fine cook she was! It's too bad she didn't teach you," he added, earning another dirty look from his daughter from around the icebox door. "Pity that you can't seem to make anything taste decent unless it involves flatbread and sliced olives."

"Perhaps if you hadn't drilled me for eight hours straight on how to kill and maim people, I might have actually gotten to learn something from her besides what she must have gone through married to you!" Jennifer shouted at him, slamming the icebox shut and stomping to her bedroom.

"I'll go eat at the Cauldron then," Thomas said. "Coming Severus?"

"Um… actually, I think I'd prefer not to sleep on any couches tonight, which was what happened the last time I got between the two of you. I believe I'm going to check on children," Severus decided.

"But I'm not entitled to using the floo powder alone yet!" Thomas protested, and then growled. "Fine. I'll walk," he said, storming out without even the slightest consideration of changing his outrageously out-of-date choice in wardrobe.

Outside under the shade of a large maple which 'followed Severus home' just after he bought the house, Andrew and Alicia peered over a roll of old parchment, Alicia with a sketchpad in hand and Andrew with a notebook in his.

"That doesn't look like normal reading. Isn't that Alex's scroll?" Severus frowned as he came over.

"We finished our normal reading, Father," Andrew said, sitting up. His energetic growth spurt had finally evened out after passing his mother's height, although the appetite that went with it was still unabated leading Severus to believe he was still in for another one. His hair was thin and long, pulled up into a tail, and his eyes were blue and gentle in contrast to the long sharp features he had inherited from his father. "Alex lent it to me so I could learn hieroglyphics. I've been comparing the pictographs to her translation to match them up. I thought it might help me get a jump start on Ancient Runes this year."

"I just think they're rather pretty," Alicia said, elaborating on a picture of Osiris upon her sketchpad. Her hair and eyes were similar to her brothers; but her hair was short and wavy instead of straight and at twelve her features were round and still childlike.

"Be that as it may, I hardly think the Book of the Dead is appropriate reading at your spell level."

"But Father, its just ceremonies and spells to protect burials, speak to the dead, give them magic…"

"I'm well aware of what it is, thank you, but it's still far beyond your level and purely theoretical. However, it is an important work in Muggle Studies, which neither of you are interested in so…"

"Why would this be important to Muggles?" Alicia said curiously.

"I'd think because it was also a very sacred book at the time," Andrew answered.

"Besides other things, yes. At the time it was written, priests, embalmers and kings were always said to possess powers of magic, while anyone under them did not…unfortunately, that meant that more often than not that they weren't truly magic, just going through the motions of the spells without actually doing anything."

"Well at least everyone accepted magic's existence then," Alicia said. Severus made a face, thinking about it.

"Sort of. Actually, why don't you ask your sister about it or Professor Scribe when you get back? In the meantime, I think I'll take this…" he said, plucking the translation out of Andrew's hand, "And this…" he added, grabbing the scroll. "And if you would like a book to get a jump on runes, Andrew, I'm sure I can find a book more appropriate for you in the library."

"I think we'll just go to the park for awhile. When will Aurelius get back?"

"Two o'clock, as always," Severus said, stepping out of their way. "Stop by the Cauldron and make sure your grandfather isn't into trouble first."

"Into or causing?" Andrew asked mischievously.

"Either," Severus said. "More than likely one of his support group spied him leaving and met up with him, in which case feel free to head on to…which park?"

"North Broom," Alicia said.

"Fine. Goodbye," Severus said impatiently.

"How about some snack bar money?" Andrew piped in. Severus quickly pulled out a handful of sickles, Andrew and Alicia smiling when he gave them half. "Goodbye."

"Bye," Andrew said and the two of them stepped out to have the door immediately close on them. Andrew quickly counted the contents in his hand. "Boy, he really wanted to get rid of us today," he grinned.

In fact, Severus was already stalking towards the bedroom suite where Jennifer sat in a small sitting room, writing a letter. He leaned against the door, watching her a moment.

"You need not hide from your father anymore. He's gone out for breakfast," he said, Jennifer immediately putting down the letter and looking at him in alarm.

"He went alone? Oh, Severus, really!" Jennifer said.

"Would you have been angrier at me if I had gone or if I had stayed?" Severus challenged. "Don't worry, I had Andrew and Alicia go check on him on their way to the broom park. And if I'm not mistaken, that means that we have the house to ourselves."

"Oh! Well, yes, I suppose so. Going back to your reading, are you then?"

"Perhaps, but not until we finish the conversation we were having in the study," Severus said, his eyes flickering a bit.

"Conversation? What conversation?" Jennifer asked, feigning complete ignorance.

"Well, why don't we go back to the study so I can refresh your memory?" Severus suggested.

"Professional discussion?"

"Hardly," Severus said, smirking softly.

"And completely out of character. I doubt Mr. Holmes would have asked a woman into the study unprofessionally," Jennifer said teasingly.

"Yes, but then he didn't have you, did he?" Severus murmured as the two of them headed back upstairs.


	2. A Case of Identity

Chapter Two

A Case of Identity

There could be little doubt that not everyone welcomed the presence of Thomas Craw into the Leaky Cauldron. Many scurried to get out of his path. Some paid their bill and left the pub altogether. Others murmured in dark corners, inviting Craw's eyes to scan each one, looking for potential threats.

"Ah, Mr. Craw! You're early today," Tom said from behind the bar. "Threw you out already, did she?"

"The ungrateful creature has restricted my House Elf privileges," Thomas grumped. "I have raised a very independent and strong willed daughter…"

"That you have, sir, little doubts by anyone of that," Tom agreed as he came up to the bar.

"And she turns it against me at any opportunity," Thomas finished with a nod. "All of this because I got into a tiny argument with the Head Elf about trying to poison me with overcooked food at dinner last night. I'll have the special and a mug of something dark. I'm in a very foul mood today," he said, inspiring another two wizards to make their way to the door.

"You're always in a foul mood, Thomas," said a gruff voice behind him.

Thomas quickly turned to see a man standing at a safe distance away in an old long sleeved black shirt and pants and dark grey hair, balding in the front but long at the back. His nose was strangely shaped as if it had been broken on numerous occasions, but his steel grey eyes were as cold and alive as Thomas' own.

"Rinan Scur. So you're still live after all these years…" Thomas said as recognition set in. As quick as a striking snake Thomas was on him, grabbing his shirt and throwing him against the wall. "Where were you, where were you?" he shouted as a number of patrons backed away. "What hole did you pick when the Dark Lord came to call on the old families to recruit us whether we wanted to or not? Where were you and the others when Malfoy claimed the entire business deal? There were no protests!" he shouted right in his face.

"Please, Thomas! You're on parole! You don't want to lose it, do you? If you let me go, I'll explain everything, I promise!"

"How do I know you didn't sell out, Rinan?" Thomas demanded.

"I left, Thomas! I've been living in Africa since before you fled yourself. In fact, I heard you joined, in the end…" Rinan said, his eyes daring him to deny it. Thomas sighed and then suddenly relaxed. He let the man go and returned to his seat, ignoring the distraught patrons as he did so.

"Get him a drink too," Thomas grunted, and Rinan relaxed as well, sitting beside him.

"So I see that prison food hasn't tainted your looks, or your strength," Rinan said wryly, accepting a tankard with a bubbling black liquid in it.

"Actually, I lost twenty pounds. I should write an article for the Daily Prophet…the Azkaban diet… twenty in twenty years or less. No potions required," Thomas said acidly, pulling over his plate. "If I keep eating this stuff, I'll gain it all back in less than twenty days. So, what happened to the other losers?"

"Some dead, some dead in spirit," Rinan said quietly. "Cynn Brogan's alive, along with some of his kin, myself, and Fyren List."

"What about his brother Wylie?"

"Dark Lord fodder," Rinan murmured, Thomas shaking his head at the waste. "Bronson as well. And then Roy Weylin… well, not that he was the most likable of business partners, but even I can't help pitying his death. He was raging drunk and went out in the wrong place at the wrong time, shot by Muggles while in wolf form. I imagine he's someone's coat now."

"I never truly trusted him anyhow."

"Thomas, you never trusted anyone anyhow," Rinan pointed out. But a pair of faces at the doorway had distracted Thomas from asking about someone else, and Rinan looked up to see a young witch and wizard walking up. A peculiar look came on the girl's face, and Rinan wondered if she wasn't a bit intimidated by his appearance.

"Come to spy on me, did you?" Thomas said, frowning at them.

"Yes, Grandfather," Andrew said. "Tom, my father wants to know if my grandfather is causing trouble again."

"No more than usual, Mister Snape," Tom said wryly, aware that Craw was glaring at him.

"These are two of my grandchildren, Alicia and…well, Andrew," Thomas said reluctantly. "This is an old business acquaintance, Mr. Scur."

"Do you often have your grandchildren checking up on you in pubs, Thomas?" Rinan asked with amusement.

"More often than I would like. Here, go ah…wherever else you're going," Thomas said, putting a galleon in each of their hands.

"If we keep this up, we'll be able to buy out Gringotts by the end of the day," Andrew murmured on their way to the fireplace, taking out his floo pouch.

"Andrew," Alicia said, causing him to pause by the hearth as she looked back at where her grandfather and the man were sitting. "Does Mr. Scur seem at all familiar to you?"

"Well, a little, but then, he looks a lot like many of the other patrons here except for the tan. Why?" Andrew asked, glancing back himself.

"It's strange but I feel like I've seen him somewhere before, although I'm sure I've never met him before now," she murmured, slightly puzzled.

"Seen him before? Like in a painting?" Andrew asked quietly.

"Maybe that's it," Alicia agreed with a frown. She puzzled over it as they headed to the park, but it wasn't long before they got there she forgot all about it as a crowd of students immediately tried to get her on their team for the day.

"Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere else..." Scur murmured as he watched the children leave. "I have some news of Jasper Brad as well. He is missing."

"Missing?" Thomas squinted. "How missing?"

"That's what I want to discuss with you in private, Thomas," Scur said insistently. Thomas got out a few coins and took a bite from his kippers before putting it down in front of Tom.

"I need to borrow a room for an hour or so. Somewhere especially quiet."

"Yes, Mr. Craw," Tom said thoughtfully, handing him some keys.

Glancing around first to see who was about, Thomas headed upstairs, wasting no time upon entering inspecting the room, his trained eye looking for any signs of tampering. Scur took out his wand, casting a spell to look for spy devices before shutting the door behind them.

"How missing?" Thomas said again, turning back to his companion.

"Missing to all but myself and the murderer, Thomas. A goblin dagger to the heart. I found him three days ago."

"If you found the dagger it was most likely not a goblin. What of his piece of the map?"

"Safe sir, I have it here. They did not even look for it," Scur said.

"Hm, so it was not one of us."

"It would not appear so."

"Or was it?" Thomas paced. "I wouldn't rule Malfoy out."

"But why would he? Why would he if he didn't know of the map, Craw? He's taken everything we owned, what would he care if Brad was alive or not?" Scur said. "I more imagine one of his other enemies caught up with him."

"If that were true, Scur, then why are you here? This was hardly an accidental meeting," Thomas said.

"I do admit that much," Scur agreed. "I am here, sir, because when I went to tell the remaining of the company about Jasper Brad, they asked about what I've heard of you. We had, of course, thought you were lost for years, only to find out you were killing…"

"Murderers…" Thomas said venomously. "I was killing murderers."

"Well, I'm hardly a person who has a right to judge as I did not choose to stay at all," Scur admitted. "But I cannot lie and tell you that the others and I have not been wondering what might have happened to your particular piece of the puzzle."

"I should have guessed you were more concerned about that than me," Thomas said, smiling thinly.

"No, no, actually you are wrong to some extent," Scur said. "I…and the others as well, were wondering if perhaps you wouldn't be interested in another business enterprise."

"And may I remind you that our last 'business enterprise' cost me everything I owned?" Thomas said, pushing back the two pieces of aging paper that was being waved at him. "My wife was forced to work to support us in common Muggle positions, where I could not exit my own home without fear of being recognized…I was a burden to her in the end," Thomas murmured. "A burden and a great danger to us both. So I died. And then…so did she. Besides, why would you want me in the deal? It was I who made the fatal mistake."

"No, it was Malfoy," Scur snapped. "Yes, you invited him in, but you were the one who insisted we not tell him about our other discovery until we knew him better. If you hadn't, then perhaps all would be lost."

"That map is a fool's errand, Scur, nothing but meaningless dribble and indecipherable…" Thomas paused, his expression revealing a change in mind. "You are, then, intending to reopen this little mystery of ours?"

"That depends on you, Thomas. You had the other piece, after all. Do you still?" Scur said. Thomas watched him for a long time. There was a dry look on his acquaintance's lips and a gaze more akin to revenge than greed playing in his eyes.

"I do not look after my old estates, Scur, but I might look for it," Craw mused thoughtfully. "If it's that you want, and if I do still have it, how much might you be willing to pay for it?"

"It's not the map we want, Craw. We want you back in the cut." Thomas laughed at him outright.

"Scur, if you know that I went to Azkaban, you would know that not only am I not allowed to leave the country but that returning to magic would mean my death! What would I be but more dead weight to an already hopeless undertaking?"

"Brad was the head of the company, Craw," Scur murmured. "Although he had not a tenth of your brain, he had more than us put together. You may not know numbers like he did, but no one outwits a Craw."

"That's because we tend to kill any that try to outwit us," Thomas said dryly. "Something that if I did it now would have every Ministry official in a hundred miles upon us in seconds."

"Then let us be your wand," Scur said almost impatiently. "Don't be a fool and walk away from this too quickly! There are only four of us left now. The rest are all gone. Do you not want to finish what we started?"

"The part of me that cared for that sort of adventure died when my wife did," Thomas said. "I am willing to arrange for Brad being found, and perhaps even something better than my piece of the map. But that's all I can offer."

"Not even for revenge on the man who took everything from you?" Scur challenged him as Thomas headed towards the door.

"He didn't take everything from me, Scur," Thomas said, turning. "Don't blame me for not wanting to gamble what little I have left on a hopeless cause."

"Wait, when will you be in touch? I don't know where you live!" Scur protested.

"I'll be at Brad's funeral," Craw said simply, opening the door. "Expect his name in the paper tomorrow."

* * *

Aurelius Craw Snape waited patiently as Martha Stockton stacked up several rows of knuts into neat little piles, well aware that one of his best friends was hovering near the front of the store, slightly embarrassed by the whole thing. Stock still had a lot to learn about family, Aurelius noted. But Aurelius knew he was hardly in any position to criticize.

"There, I think that's right, isn't it?" she said at last, Aurelius nodding.

"Wait, Rel, did you remember to give her the special school discount?"

Aurelius looked up to see Corey standing over the register.

"Um?"

"Sure, we're starting back-to-school discounts early this year," Corey said with a smile, pushing a couple buttons on the old register and pushing two of the piles back towards Mrs. Stockton. "Lunch on us, Mrs. Stockton."

"Why, thank you! How lovely," Martha said sincerely, accepting her bag from Aurelius. "I hope you can find time to come visit us for a few days before school, Aurelius. You'll be amazed at how much we've gotten done on the house!"

"Sure, that'd be great," Aurelius agreed as they left, waving to Stock who nodded to him in return. Aurelius then turned to Corey. "When did we start having a school discount?"

"About a minute and a half ago," Corey grinned at him, heading back towards the back. Aurelius shook his head at his older brother.

How could he ever expect to get ahead like that? Still, Aurelius knew perhaps better than anyone how much money Stock had lost last year. But he couldn't dwell too long on that…business was steady, and he still had another hour before he would head home for the day.

It was just as he was starting to fill up the bins that a pair of shadows blocked all light from the door. Aurelius looked up, not knowing what to expect and definitely not expecting what he saw.

In the door was the biggest witch he had ever seen besides Madame Maxime Hagrid. In fact, Aurelius realized she was probably a good inch or two taller than his father. Her skin was sallow and leathery, and her weight rather unhealthy even for a woman of her height. Her robes looked unbelievably heavy for the hot summer temperature, black and woolen but trimmed in gold and silver chain. She had rings upon every finger but the third on her left hand…that finger was missing altogether. Her hair was thick, platinum in color and wild despite attempts to control it in a bun, and her eyes were as white as snow.

Beside her stood a boy Aurelius couldn't help but assume was her son; he was too tall for Aurelius to hazard a guess at his age, his hair light brown but just as wild as his mother's and shoulder length. His clothes too looked much too heavy for the current heat, wearing a coat down to his calves with the unmistakable crest of Durmstrang on its breast.

She said something then in a different language before moving carefully in attempt not to make contact with anything…not to keep from breaking items as one might first expect, but Aurelius picked up a look of intense skepticism as if she didn't think anything in the room deserved the honor of being toppled by herself. The boy answered, sounding quite impatient, and Aurelius found himself wishing that his sister Alex were there to translate. Just then, Aurelius' heard Corey, looking up as he excused his clerks and came back over to the counter, speaking in the same language. Looking relieved, the woman went over to chat with him. She left her son to glance around, his eyes finally spying Aurelius where he stood near an unopened barrel of pickled newts he had been rolling out.

"Vut do you stare at?" the boy asked, squinting at him.

"You, obviously," Aurelius answered bluntly before rolling the barrel into place, aware that the other had followed him around the corner, looking him over. "What?"

"You speak brave, for a little boy," he commented. "Are you not too young to vurk?"

"I am fourteen," Aurelius said, feeling his ears burning a bit. "And I speak my mind, yes."

"Fourteen?" the boy said with surprise, looking him up and down. "I hear dat dey grow smaller here, but I did not realize how much! I vould not believe it if not for your low voice! You attend Hogvarts?"

"Of course," Aurelius said warily, not much liking this other fellow at all.

"Den soon we may be classmates. I go now to speak to a professor about enrolling," he said, holding out his hand. "Eigil Hauk is my name." Aurelius merely nodded, using his work at opening the barrel as an excuse not to take his hand.

"Aurelius Snape," he said, finally prying the lid off. Unfortunately he had done so too quickly and quite a bit of the pickled juice ended up on his shirt. Eigil sneered.

"Be careful, little man. Step in dat puddle you made you might drown," he said with obvious amusement.

"Eigil! You find und friend?" the woman said. Aurelius decided that the smile on the woman's face was much more frightening than her solemn one.

"A little friend," Eigil said. "But we must go see Professor Veasley now, yes?"

"Ja, it is true, we must go. Auf Wiedersehen, little friend," the woman said.

Corey, who had been watching the exchange, had come over to put a hand on Aurelius' shoulder when he saw the fuming look on his face.

"I don't think Ms. Arild meant to be mean, Rel. I think her English is just not that great," Corey said.

"Well he meant it," Aurelius said, his eyes not leaving Eigil until he was out of view.

He was still thinking about the incident when he got off work, but nobody seemed to be home when he got there. He knew that would change soon enough though, and took the opportunity to head up to his room and change out of the smelly clothes, finding something more comfortable to wear. He got out of his drawer a small hook, and slipping up a ladder in the hall used it to push a small panel open in the ceiling. Then he came back down long enough to put the hook on the doorknob to his room; a sign to his other three siblings as to where he was.

It was a simple enough area; the large wooden slats covered by somewhat thin but even grey planks laid side to side but hardly without holes peeking through and showing the plaster and ribbing underneath. A brick wall on one side and a wooden one on the other sectioned the attic off from the buildings next to them, and piled against them were all sorts of trunks and crates of spare bottles and lab equipment.

In one corner sat a cot, a ratty old armchair, table and desk, which in their old house had furnished their father's old office. Now they had been sentenced to the attic but hardly went unused, for the four children of the house decided that the small area would be the perfect place to get away from the adults from the house without risk of being disturbed by the 'casual' glances in rooms their grandfather and parents tended to send into their rooms when upstairs on unknown errands.

Aurelius picked up the tiny iron rods attached to the windows and opened them outwards, a nice crosswind going above his head as he worked to light the lanterns and got out his reading for the day, hastily scanning it to pick out key elements in case his parents happened to bring it up to make sure that he had done it.

But it wasn't long before he heard a scratching noise below and the trap popped open, followed by Andrew's face, his eyes blinking to get used to the subdued light.

"Hullo! There you are! You missed a great game!" he said.

"At least I didn't get a sunburn. You look like a beet!" Aurelius answered.

"Well don't go and make me hungry," Andrew said as he climbed the rest of the way up, holding his hand out for Alicia who was right underneath him. "We ran out of our sun potion. Father's brewing more now."

"Oh, he's home then?" Aurelius pondered.

"He was when we got home. Mum's in the kitchen, humming. I think she's planning to cook tonight," Andrew said.

"So how was work, Rel? Fighting with Corey again?" Alicia asked, plopping down on the cot beside him while Andrew sunk into the chair with his feet over the arm with a contented sigh.

"No, he was actually fairly civil today," Aurelius said. Alicia and Andrew shared a private smile. They knew which one of their two older brothers had a tendency to be uncivil, and it wasn't Corey. "I did meet someone strange though; a student from Durmstrang. He was taller than Halbert."

"Really?" Andrew said with interest. Even though Andrew was only going into his third year, he had long been one of the tallest students in his class, next to his best friend, Halbert Hagrid, who had not only passed him up over the last few months but was well on his way of being the tallest student in school. "Does he have giant in him too?"

"Didn't ask. He was ugly enough to have," Aurelius said, the disdain in his voice telling his siblings more happened than he was saying. "And from what he said he's trying to get into Hogwarts this year. As if Hogwarts would let in that sort of riffraff."

"That reminds me… Hogwarts, I mean, not riffraff," Alicia said, knowing that Rel especially would have teased her had she not specified. "Aunt Anna and Uncle Sirius agreed to let Zoë go to America to go to school this year."

"America? By herself?" Andrew said, frowning. He for one didn't think he'd much care for being that far away from the rest of her family.

"Yes, but she has to stay out of trouble and keeps her marks up to stay," Alicia said.

"In that case, she'll be back before Christmas," Aurelius smirked.

"But Zack is staying? He didn't want to go with his sister?" Andrew said.

"No, he likes Hogwarts," Alicia said.

"He just likes how much he thinks he can get away with," Aurelius put in.

"Well, yes, there may be some truth in that," Alicia admitted, "but only a little! I think he really likes being a Gryffindor, following his father's footsteps and all that."

"According to Father, he's following them a little more closely than he would like," Aurelius smirked. He had been planning to say more on the subject, but he forgot what he was going to say next when the door opened again and Alex appeared. She had changed into a rather tight t-shirt and shorts of canary yellow, her auburn hair pushed up in two high tails.

"Oh good, you're all back! I can't wait to tell you what happened today!" Alex said, snapping the trap door shut behind her.

"Another Mormon protest saying that Sherlock Holmes should be banned because of a Study in Scarlet?" Aurelius asked calmly.

"I thought that protest had to do with the drug references in Sign of Four," Andrew mused.

"No, no, no, nothing like that, and you know how I feel about book banning anyhow. No, Xavier came to the museum today! Muggle clothes and all…although he wore his jeans tucked into his boots and a few gaudy rings that made everyone stare. But still, you should have seen him! He couldn't wait to tell me the news that he got a letter from Hogwarts today!"

"Already? Rather early for that, isn't it?" Andrew said curiously.

"Not for letting them know who was chosen for Head Boy," Alex said smugly. "And that's not the half of it! Rose Bailey made Head Girl! Isn't that fantastic? We should all write and congratulate her!"

"Well, if we all suddenly begin growing weeds or something, we'll all know where to turn to," Aurelius said, Alex putting her hands on her hips.

"Aurelius Snape, can't a single word come out of your mouth that isn't a smart alec comment?" Alex said with exasperation. Aurelius smiled evilly.

"Yes," he said simply.

"I think even that was debatable," Alex sighed. "You could at least be happy for Xavier."

"Well, maybe that," Aurelius agreed. "Considering in another year he'll be out of my way of becoming a prefect."

"Don't hold your breath," Alex said. "Considering our parents are the heads of our houses, us getting appointed would look like pure family favoritism. Mother already warned me when I asked her what my chances were," she sighed. "In fact, I'm sure Mandria will be getting it."

Aurelius frowned at that. Not even a chance at being prefect, without any consideration to class record? Not that his had been spectacular, Aurelius sheepishly admitted to himself, but he had also privately promised himself that that would change. As Alex began to ramble on about her current Muggle outfit and her plans to go out with Xavier for ice cream or something to celebrate after dinner, Aurelius worked his way towards the trap door until he heard his name called.

"Aurelius, at least you can make some comment, even a polite one!" Alex said, and Aurelius stared at her a moment, realizing she was talking about her looks again.

"Sorry. Yes, I suppose you do look sort of like a Muggle," Aurelius said as Alex folded her arms. "I just never realized they looked like walking pineapples with bright red cocktail toothpicks before."

Alex blinked and looked up at her ponytails, but before she could think of a comeback after her momentary fluster, Aurelius had already disappeared downstairs.


	3. Observations

Chapter Three

Observations

Alex sighed with frustration as she slammed the door of her room and stared in the mirror, taking her hair down. Tes, her mute lightning kitten, jumped up on the vanity in front of her and raised her paw in a curious way. It was Tes herself that discovered if she made a move to try and indicate something to Alex that Alex would understand it, so it didn't take the cat long at all to come up with a simple system to convey her needs to her human companion.

"Fish? I don't smell fish," Alex said, Tes flicking her tail in response. "Well, Mum is cooking. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised," she sighed, the black cat licking the bottom of her paw then looking at her. "All right, all right. I'll make sure you get your share. Come on," she said, walking out of the room.

"Good evenin', Luv. Want the post?" Dodger asked from where he sat in the hall window.

"Sure, I'll take it. Why didn't you take it to the kitchen?"

"The Missus chucked us all out when she started burning things," Dodger said. "Not like she even likes me. She's always too busy doting over that ruddy old bat."

"Nonsense, of course she likes you. Ratfly just needs more attention because he's older," Alex said, taking the pack of letters from the owl.

"That's gratitude for ya. I work my arse off keeping this family in tune with the outside world without a word of encouragement and 'e hangs around all day and gets 'and-fed crabapples." Dodger complained, hopping over to her shoulder.

"I'll see that you get a mouse tonight," Alex promised him, heading downstairs. Tes immediately darted under her feet, Alex's hair standing on end as the cat passed on their way to the kitchen.

"Out! Out-out-out!" Jennifer flailed at the cat. A spoon floating in the air swatted at the cat, sending her bolting with a crack of thunder in her wake. "And that goes for you too!" she added, pointing at the owl on Alex's shoulder.

"There, see wot I mean?" the owl hooted.

"Oh, come on, Dodger, you know she doesn't like familiars in the kitchen," Alex said.

"Then what's 'e doing here, tell me that, then?" Dodger said. Alex looked in the open door of the mop closet to see Ratfly hanging there, napping.

"He isn't really in the kitchen though, is he?" Alex said.

"Hey, I thought you were on my side!" Dodger complained.

"Alexandria! Goodness, they're always so noisy when you're around! Tell Dodger to go roost outside," Jennifer said in annoyance.

"Can I take him downstairs? He wants a mouse," Alex said, putting the post on the table.

"Well, I think your father's working down there but it's nearly time to eat anyhow. And after you've fed him, send Dodger to find your grandfather. He's been gone all day," Jennifer said, peering in the oven.

"Is that why you seem to be in such a good mood?" Alex asked daringly.

"Go!" Jennifer shooed, waving her hand at her daughter with exasperation. But as Alex headed down to the door under the stairs, Jennifer found her other three kids peering out of the dining room, led by their noses. "All right, all right, set the table," she said in resignation, still wondering where her father might be.

The basement of the house was somewhat small, especially with the potion lab taking up the largest portion of the room, but at least it was well ventilated; tiny rectangular windows let in breezes from either side. Under a bolted coal door near an old furnace sat a rather small wooden box in which a rather large basilisk with an eye patch slumbered. In another corner sat a desk and a comfortable leather armchair where Alex's father snoozed, oblivious of the cauldron threatening to bubble over where it sat in a strange iron cubicle that acted as a portable fireplace. Only Descartes, Severus' fledgling crane-like Stymphalian bird was awake, and was quick to alert the others to her presence.

"Alex is here! Alex is here! Alex is here! Alex is…"  
"Shh! Please! Descartes, stop!" Alex flailed.

"Feed me! Feed me! Feed me!"

"Quiet, you infernal bird," Severus yawned and sat up. "And what are you up to?"

"Dodger wants a mouse," Alex said, peering in the cauldron. "The color's pearling."

"Turn it off, then."

"Dodger cannot have a mouse. All the mice are mine," Rasputin hissed from his box, his glass eye heavily lidded.

"There is no lack of mice in London," Severus hissed back. Dodger flew over to the cage and waited expectantly as Severus went over to it. Alex immediately plugged her ears and closed her eyes in attempts to cut herself off from the mouse's squeaking before Dodger made short work of it.

"Where is mine?" Rasputin inquired.

"You already had kibble," Severus hissed back. Alex cautiously opened an eye then unplugged her ears.

"You gave him a mouse," Rasputin argued.

"He works for a living, and besides, you are on a diet."

"I don't remember ever agreeing to go on a diet," Rasputin complained. "Those are my mice. Winged ones should get their own."

"Fine, I'll give you one of these," Severus said, getting a stoned mouse out of a box full of them on a nearby shelf.

"I want a fresh one."

"You were the one who decided to stone the entire cage last week. You will deal with what I give you," Severus said, putting the mouse on the floor just out of reach so that Rasputin had to move to get it.

"The intruder knocked it down," Rasputin hissed defensively, turning a baleful eye towards Descartes.

"I'm hungry! I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" Descartes called over and over again in protest to watching everyone else get fed but him.

"Descartes says he's hungry," Alex told her father, plugging her ears again.

"I could have figured that out without your help, thank you," Severus said, grabbing a couple of mesh wire gloves. "Make up six bottles of that potion."

"Why don't you just let him hunt? It's not like any amount of mice or fish is going to fill him up anymore," Alex commented.

"Yes, that would be brilliant. Do you recall what happened the last time I let him out in London? Yes, well, not that I mind him eating the pigeons, but I hardly think the sudden spike in missing cat and dog reports was completely coincidental," Severus said, allowing Alex a moment to clench her ears shut before tossing Descartes a handful of mice which the crane swallowed whole. He then opened a barrel of live fish for the hungry bird, Alex cautiously removing her hands again. "Descartes does not yet realize the consequences of his extreme diet, but if we do not curb it, he will definitely not make it to adulthood."

"You mean if he gets a taste for Human blood," Alex said slowly.

"The Ministry would have grounds then to have him destroyed, protected species or not," Severus agreed, helping her stopper up the bottles. "Here, take a Sunshield Potion for yourself."

"Alex? Have you sent Dodger yet?" Jennifer called from the top of the stairs.

"She was helping me. Send him where?" Severus asked as they headed up the stairs.

"Dad's not back yet from this morning. When you decided to let him go alone." Jennifer said with a frown. Severus let Alex pass him on the stairs then stepped closer to Jennifer when he reached the top.

"Are you saying you regret the decision?" Severus asked in a low voice. Jennifer hesitated.

"Severus, you know how he can get," Jennifer protested quietly.

"He was all right when we checked on him, Mum," Andrew put in, peering at them from the dining room. "He was with a rather strange chap. They seemed to be friends. What was his name?" Andrew said, looking over at Alicia.

"Mr. Scur," Alicia said. "He seemed awful familiar."

"Scur?" Jennifer repeated with a frown. It sounded familiar to her as well, although she wasn't quite sure why.

"Scurs are a dark family," Severus said, Jennifer glancing over at him thoughtfully. "Mostly out of Dover, some in Manchester… they used to have holdings in the shipping trade, but many of them fled the country when I was young. Some didn't," he added. Jennifer didn't need but a glance to figure out that the ones who hadn't had ended up joining Voldemort's ranks.

"I seriously doubt that Dad would have anything to do with one who stayed," Jennifer said.

"Unless it wasn't such a friendly visit after all," Severus mused.

Glancing at each other, Jennifer and Severus turned down the hall as if to leave, when suddenly the door opened and Thomas walked in, looking at their startled faces curiously.

"Going somewhere?" he asked.

"And just where have you been all day?" Jennifer asked accusingly.

"Somewhere that people don't treat me like a criminal. In other words, not here," Thomas retorted, passing them and heading into the dining room. "There's my grandson! Started making money yet?"

"Not this summer, sir," Aurelius said solemnly.

"Well I still don't approve," Thomas grunted. "You should get paid for what you do, boy."

"Aurelius made his own decision to help Corey this summer, Dad, and we both whole-heartedly support it," Jennifer told him.

"I see. And I have no right to an opinion in this little charity work?" Thomas said.

"Not really, no," Jennifer said, pulling off the cover of all of the trays. Thomas looked at the lemon trout skeptically as Andrew immediately helped himself to the mashed pumpkin.

"You cooked this, didn't you?" Thomas asked, frowning at the olive and vinegar salad.

"I wasn't going to have Mercy at the end of your bellowing again, she isn't used to it. I've had years of practice," Jennifer said dryly.

The four kids looked at each other, wondering if it was going to break out into another war.

"Oh, Thomas, Andrew mentioned that you met with one of the Scurs today. Which one, might I ask? I have had a Scur or two in Slytherin in my earlier years," Severus said with such a calm voice that everyone welcomed the change in topic.

"Any Scur that you had is probably not one I'd associate with," Thomas said dryly. "It was Rinan, an old business partner of mine. You remember him, don't you, Jen-girl?" Jennifer shook her head. "Well, you were little. He and I got in with some friends and made some investments abroad. Unfortunately, one of us was foolish enough to offer Malfoy a hand in."

"That was what went bankrupt? I mean, when you lost all that money to Malfoy?" Jennifer asked.

"I didn't lose it. It was stolen," Thomas growled, stabbing his fish. "At first, none of us realized that money was getting siphoned from a small treasure excavation company we had started. But your mother had seen Malfoy and had caught on. She had even wanted to turn him in but… by then I had gotten mixed up in things that made it much more complicated."

"You mean Voldemort?" Alex said.

"Alex, not at the table," Jennifer said sternly, pointing her to her plate.

"We left before the problems of the company were solved," Thomas continued. "And apparently from what Scur said, it wasn't contested because those of us who hadn't fled had ended up dead. All except our dear partner Malfoy… funny how that occurred. Scur himself had been in South Africa. It brought up a lot of memories seeing him again. Mostly unpleasant," he admitted, holding his glass out and watching it fill with white wine.

Jennifer turned away as memories of her mother floated through her father's eyes, wondering if this was going to add more fuel to the fire her father already had against Malfoy. She glanced at Severus who looked thoughtful but unworried. He had been irritatingly supportive of her father from the moment they had arrived for the summer, satisfied in his own mind that Craw wasn't likely to do anything to jeopardize the few freedoms he had regained.

"I need to clear my head," Thomas said at last, getting up. "Aurelius, come. Let's go out and do sparring forms."

"Can I come too?" Andrew asked.

"If you like," Thomas shrugged, heading to the backyard. Jennifer frowned at her father, but Andrew didn't seem a bit offended by his attitude as the two boys talked companionably to the old wizard on their way out.

"I'd better get ready for my date," Alex said, excusing herself and getting up.

"And where are you two going tonight?" Jennifer frowned at her.

"I don't know! He was going to surprise me," Alex said.

"Well that's all well and fine, but he'll still have to tell us where you're going before we let him leave with you," Jennifer said firmly. "And don't be out too late! Don't forget you're taking your Apparation test this weekend."

"But I thought I was ready for that!" Alex protested. Jennifer looked over at Severus.

"Well, she's up to their standards, but she's not up to Snape standards yet," Severus said reluctantly.

"Reason enough to practice more then. Be home early," Jennifer nodded firmly. Alex sighed with exasperation, heading upstairs.

Jennifer turned to her youngest daughter, but Alicia was much too distracted to notice the scrutiny, or even that she was the only one left at the table. Not being so fond of fish, Alicia decided to clean off one of the bones and began sculpting with it. By the time Jennifer and Severus finally noticed and came behind her to peer at it, she had an ocean scene in the surface of the baked fish, using the sauce and mashed pumpkin for color and flaking the fish across the ocean line to look like rising and falling waves.

"Alicia Snape!" Jennifer said with exasperation. Severus smirked slightly, but turned solemn when Jennifer gazed at him. "You have supplies enough to stock even Pyther's studio and you turn your dinner into panoramas!"

"I read an article once that said presentation was as important as taste," Alicia said, but duly noted that her mother was not impressed.

"Go to your room, young lady! And tomorrow night you can cook since you don't seem to like mine!" Jennifer glared at her. Sheepishly Alicia got up, heading for the stairs.

"Mercy? No snacks upstairs tonight except for his highness in the back yard," Jennifer said into the air directed at the Head House Elf. She tapped the table to let the rest of the staff know they were done with the dining room.

"She means Thomas, I believe," Severus added. Jennifer gave him a dirty look before heading towards the backyard to water her herb pots.

Taking advantage of being left to his own devices, Severus quickly made his way to the study and found his book again, settling in for a quiet evening. It wasn't long before he became absorbed once more, finding his pipe as he searched through the volume for stories he didn't quite remember the endings to. Time passed quickly, for he was only vaguely aware of the chimes of the nineteenth century clock upon the mantle.

Just before eleven there was a knock on the door, and Severus looked up at the clock thoughtfully. It was true it was near time that Alex would normally be home, but she wouldn't have knocked and otherwise it seemed rather late for visitors. Usually he ignored such an event and allowed someone else to answer any visitors to the house expected or not, but considering the late hour, Severus put down his book and went down to answer it. Peering out, he frowned thoughtfully then opened the door and let the slightly hunched old witch in. The woman immediately pulled off her hood the moment she entered, studying him with an enigmatic smile.

"Cute," Audacious Belle commented. Severus whipped off his reading glasses in complete horror and embarrassment, glaring at her amused expression.

"Audi. A bit late even for you, isn't it?" Severus said in annoyance.

"It's never late for an Auror, Severus. Unless you happen to be the victim," she amended. "I need to see Thomas."

"Here," Thomas said, and the two of them glanced over to see him coming down the stairs. "You have news for me?"

"Yes, but it's not all good," Audi said, glancing hesitatingly towards Severus. Thomas gazed at him as well, but Severus made no indication he was going to leave. Thomas glanced then down the hall to see that the light of the main suite was out.

"Let's go to the study and discuss it," Thomas suggested, leading the way as Severus found himself impatiently brooding over just what his father-in-law had gotten himself into this time.

"Your friend," Audi started, picking out a chair near the tea set and turning over a cup, "seems to be in a great deal of danger, Thomas."

"Which one?" Thomas frowned.

"The alive one," Audi said dryly. "Was the corpse your friend as well?"

"Business acquaintance," Thomas mumbled, sitting down.

"Well, either way you may find it interesting that that little souvenir in his back wasn't the cause of death," Audi said, taking a deep drink of tea before continuing, glancing in her cup. "He was poisoned."

"Would anyone mind telling me exactly who was poisoned and who is in danger?" Severus asked, looking between the two solemn but very calm faces. "Business acquaintance…I assume then this has something to do with Scur?"

"So it does," Thomas agreed. "And the deceased was a man named Jasper Brad… businessman, accountant, and a man of some means."

"And one hated by the goblins," Audi agreed. "But the only goblins that would leave their dagger would be one of a very small sect of assassins; but that sect's daggers are carefully marked. This one didn't have so much as a maker's mark let alone an owner's mark. It's most unusual under any set of circumstances. I have no doubt, however, that the dagger was a cover, perhaps even a final blow of vengeance in some way, for the force of the blow was quite strong considering it was stabbed and not thrown."

"How can you tell?" Thomas asked.

"Entry, damage, lots of ways," Audi shrugged. "But it doesn't change the fact he was dead already. A slow acting henbane potion of some sort… it could have been given to him hours before the incident."

"Odd, you would think it would have been fairly quick. How else would one explain the dagger unless the murderer had come back afterwards…" Severus mused. "But why would they, when they could have so easily gotten away with it?"

"You might have made a good Auror, Severus," Audi chuckled, nodding. "The same questions we've been asking. There weren't any prints on the dagger either; in fact, the entire room had at some point been polished clean… except, it seems, for the surface of a safe behind one of the pictures in the hall. It had two sets of fingerprints as well as two different wizards casting spells upon it…of course, it'd been too long to try and identify the casters, but I can tell you with certainty that the prints belonged to one Jasper Brad, and the other belonged to Rinan Scur."

"Bah! The careless fool!" Thomas scowled.

"Needless to say Thurspire and his men are looking for him now. They hadn't even known he was in the country until then, actually. In fact, apparently there's a very old warrant still out for his arrest in connection with another murder back in the Terror days. I asked to see it when Thurspire asked me to follow up on my find. I bet you won't guess who the witness was on the paperwork that said he saw him do it…"

"Lucius Malfoy," Thomas muttered, his eyes flashing.

"All right, so you can guess it," Audi said. "Thomas, are you sure Scur wasn't the one who killed him?"

"He said he didn't. What reason would he have to lie to me?" Thomas said defensively.

"Yes, well, not that I don't trust your word, Thomas, but seeing that we know more than we should know about this guy I "found" dead after nearly a week, I would prefer to eyeball him myself so we can be for certain he's not involved," Audi said firmly.

Like Jennifer, Audacious Belle was a Truth Seeker, and one trained to use it in her work fighting the workings of the Dark Arts. But she also had come to respect Thomas despite his track record, knowing that although his methods were far from acceptable in the mainstream world, Thomas was fighting on the same side.

"Where's he holed up at, Thomas?" Audi asked outright.

"I have no idea," Thomas admitted. "We met at the Cauldron. I got the impression that he was seeking me out then. I did tell him I would be at Brad's funeral."

"Hm. If he has any wind that the Ministry is looking for him, he's hardly likely to show up there, is he?" Audi said with a sigh. "But if I do see him long enough to clear him, then I'll have another headache trying to find out who the real murderer is… considering there's no way I can convince the Ministry at this point that Scur is not guilty, especially not without outing myself as acting upon a tip by you, Thomas. I may have to have Alastor to take over."

"Perhaps I can help in some small way," Severus put in, Audi looking over at him as if she had half forgotten he was standing there. "I may know someone who might be able to identify the dagger, if you happen to have had a copy of it made."

"As a matter of fact," Audi said, pulling out a purse and digging out a ton of make up that Severus had never once seen her use before taking out a replica of the dagger wrapped in cloth. "Careful, dearie. It may be a fake, but it's nearly as sharp as the real thing."

"I have one other question," Severus said, carefully putting the dagger in his cloak. "Have you considered the possibility that Jasper Brad might have had more than one murderer?"

"One from poison and one from the dagger?" Audi said with a nod before glancing at Thomas. "I've also considered he might have had three, only the last one might have realized he was already dead. You say your friend didn't kill him, Thomas, but can you tell me that if he had reason to kill him that he would not have if he had the chance?"

"Perhaps, he is a Scur after all," Thomas shrugged. "Although I'm not sure he has the steel to follow through. But what possible reason would he have?"

"I don't know. What was in the safe, Thomas?" Audi asked. Thomas immediately went over to stare at the fire. Audi's thin smile became slightly wider. "By turning away from me like that you only confirm that you know the answer. I've seen that tactic often enough by this one here trying to get past his wife," she said, jerking her head towards Severus. Severus grimaced.

"To be saying anything now would be giving you half information, Audi. There is much I do not know," Thomas said distantly. "There are some answers I need myself before I can give them to you with any confidence."

"I understand," Audi said solemnly, finishing her tea before getting up. "Well, I'd best be off before Alastor starts to worry. You know what a devil he can be if I leave him too long alone with his imagination," she cackled softly. Severus got up to show her out when he heard someone else and hurried down in time to see Alex taking off her shoes to sneak up the front stairs.

"There you are! And past curfew no less," Severus said disapprovingly. Alex jumped in surprise at anyone else being awake.

"I sent Dodger with a note!" Alex protested, looking around until she spied Dodger napping on his perch and grabbed the note from under him. "See?"

"Hm," Severus said, taking the note as Audi peered over curiously.

"Well hello there, dear! Had a good time?"

"Yes, wonderful, thanks!" Alex said enthusiastically. But Audi gasped, covering her mouth.

"Alexandria! Does your father know about this?"

"What?" both Alex and Severus said, both stricken with horror.

"Just kidding," Audi cackled, quickly making for the exit.

"That wasn't very funny!" Alex exclaimed.

"No, it most definitely wasn't!" Severus agreed, following behind the old woman who merely waved to him from the front steps before Disapparating. Severus closed the door in annoyance and then turned to his daughter, eyeing her with scrutiny.

"Honestly, Father! She was just kidding!" Alex said, rolling her eyes at him before heading up the stairs. "Nobody trusts anybody in this family!" she declared as she stormed to her room.


	4. Awkward Encounters

Chapter Four

Awkward Encounters

It was perhaps a strange irony that the burial of Thomas Craw's old comrade took him back to the private cemetery above the chalk downs where he once had made a stand against Voldemort. Very few actually came; a few distant relatives (who lingered merely because Jasper had alluded he would make it a condition of his will only to account for those who went,) a couple of accountants, one goblin who looked grimly cheerful about the whole thing, a few Ministry men including Thurspire curious to see who would attend, and Auror Moody, who was merely there as Thomas' escort while out of the city limits. Above them a large vulture circled, and Thomas watched it fixedly for a moment as the silence following the burial became heavy.

"Wasn't a very popular man, was he?" Thurspire remarked to Moody. It was a very quiet remark, but in the still air it traveled well enough that Thomas turned around and glared at him.

"Do you hear a pot calling a kettle black, Alastor? Make that a cracked pot," Thomas said.

"Careful, friend, he is the Minister of Law Enforcement, after all," Moody said softly.

"And the son of the vilest wretch to walk this soil is the Minister of Magic. I'm not about to snivel to either of them, parole or not," Thomas said firmly.

"I may not be popular, but I can at least count on my wife showing up if I ever died," Thurspire said, looking Thomas over. "This man didn't have anyone. Neither, it seems, did any of his business associates bother to come; List, Brogan, Scur… happen to know where they are?"

"Thurspire, what would make you think after thirty some odd years that I would go out of my way to look any of those cowards up, especially when I just got out of serving time fighting for something that all of them ran from?" Thomas snapped. "I notice also you didn't mention Lucius, although he was just as much a 'business' partner."

"Why should I mention him when I knew you would?" Thurspire said, amused. Thomas, however, was not. "Perhaps it's true that the crime was almost clean enough to be him," he admitted quietly, looking more serious. "Almost, but not quite. It seems that Rinan Scur was careful at the crime scene but not so careful about the safe. And the strangest part is the fact that no unusual spells were cast on the safe to open it. It was almost as if he knew the combination. Tell me, Thomas, would you happen to know if your old acquaintance might have been an unregistered animagus?"

"Not that I know of. Now if you don't mind…"

"Did he own an invisibility cloak?"

"Now how the devil would I know something like that?" Thomas snapped. "It's been over thirty years!"

"Oh really?" Thurspire said with a thin smile. "From what I understand after talking to a few of the regulars at the Leaky Cauldron, you had words with him not all that long before the corpse was found… by Auror Belle, strangely enough, who states that she was acting on a tip that Mr. Brad hadn't been seen in quite some time."

"Now see here, Thurspire," Moody broke in, both magic and regular eye glaring at him. "You wouldn't be trying to accuse my Audi of something? Because if you are I might be just a bit put out and you might have cause to be worried about your personal safety."

"Careful, Auror, that sounded an awful lot like a threat," Thurspire warned.

"Probably because it was. Do your worst if you like."

"I can have your license revoked, you know."

"And I will show you where to put it."

"I do my fighting in court, Moody."

"What, you think your counselors are going to protect you?"

"I don't think Thurspire has the wand length to take you on, Moody, or me for that matter," Thomas interrupted calmly, putting a hand on the old Auror's shoulder. "But now is hardly the appropriate time."

"What could be more appropriate than a cemetery?" Moody said, eyes flashing.

"If Thurspire wants to work through counselors, let him. From now on, he can take it to Vallid's office," Thomas said fiercely.

Thurspire hesitated briefly, scowling at the reminder that one of the most famous counselors in the world was at the man's disposal, but Thurspire refused to allow himself to be put off at the sudden change of tactics.

"You can call whomever you like, Thomas, but the truth of the matter isn't going to change. You did meet with Scur and spoke with him privately at length. And according to the details of your parole, if any association is found between yourself and a crime, even as an accessory after the fact, it will insure that you return to the prison and never get off Azkaban island again," Thurspire told him.

"Now who's the one making threats?" Moody growled.

"A promise," Thurspire said seriously, looking between them before turning around to join his men.

"Alastor," Thomas said in a tired tone. "Do let me borrow your wand for a moment so I can spell him in the back."

"Don't tempt me," Moody grunted, folding his arms as he watched the group Disapparate. "Ready to head home?" he asked, fiddling with his keys.

"Not quite," Thomas said, glancing up at the sky expectantly.

"Odd. Wonder where that wreath came from?" Moody squinted with his normal eye. Thomas looked down to see a wreath of black roses and frowned, stepping over to it and cautiously searched for a tag but there was none. "Must have happened while I was distracted by Thurspire," Moody said, angry at himself.

"The murderer sent it," Thomas said in a low but certain voice.

"That would suggest that whoever did it was a member of an old dark family," Moody said.

"Yes, no other would follow that old code of honor," Thomas admitted.

"Unless, of course, someone was trying to use it to throw off the scent," Moody mused. There was the caw of a large bird and Moody's magic eye suddenly turned to look straight up, Thomas' eyes following. "A vulture. Not a good sign."

"That would depend on the vulture," Thomas said distractedly, watching it land behind the mausoleum. Wordlessly, Moody followed, his hand twitching reflexively as if wondering if he should pull out his wand.

As he turned the corner his question was answered with a blaze of spells, and suddenly Thomas found himself in the middle of a wizard battle. He stepped out of the way and watched the exchange with no attempt to stop it until at last he rolled his eyes and shook his head. For wrapped in vines from head to toe were the two dark wizards who had been lurking behind the building, while the old Auror stood over them with his wand out and panting from the adrenalin rush rather than from any strain from his age.

"Hello List, Brogan," Thomas said calmly. "Trying to knock out my guard, are we?"

"Blimey, I think Thomas has gone t' the pale cronies! We've been jiggered!" Fyren List said, glaring at Thomas.

"Nonsense, List. A Craw is on his own side and no one else's; you should know that by now. It's all right, Alastor. I think they were merely trying to get a word alone with me," Thomas said.

"Well, that's all fine for you, but I happen to know that this one has a price on his head for several murders, Thomas," Moody said, squinting at Fyren. "I should have realized it when I saw the vulture. You're the Red Fist."

Fyren grinned.

"Seems my reputation precedes myself again. Lud, man, whether I am or not, I'm not 'ere for any purpose than talk t' the Craw about old Brad. And I've not 'ad any part in killin' one of my own. Besides, I'm likely to admit wot I've done, and wot I've done is solved t' all but my defense counselor, bless 'is gullible soul. It's Brad's murderer that's the question 'ere, and it's wot we don' know that can kill us, don'cha agree, guv?"

"I think there can be hardly any question who did the deed," Brogan put in. Unlike the fair-featured List, Brogan was dark in hair and expression; square jawed with a powerful build. "Or at least who it was who paid the wandman. Malfoy has no love for any of us."

"I have no love for any of you either," Moody grunted. "But I didn't kill him, and it's no reason to point a finger no matter how likely. Evidence! That's what you need, and right now the only evidence, as vague as it is, is pointing to Scur."

"Lud luv ya, captain, Rinan Scur ain't got it in him to kill anyone! Any fool that knows 'im at all can see that 'es got warm blood an' a yellow spine. Rob someone blind, ya, but kill? I can't see it, and I know somethin' about the nature of men," List said, winking.

"Can you keep that sentiment to yourself? At least while I'm tied to you," Brogan snapped irritably.

"Come, now, Cynn you know ya luv me, darlin,'" Fyren teased wickedly.

"Have mercy, Auror! Can't you at least bind us separate?" Brogan protested.

"And what about you, Brogan?" Craw said, ignoring the banter. "How have you been getting along with Brad lately?"

"Just what are you implying, Craw?" Brogan snapped.

"Oh come, now, Brogan, we all know your temper."

"My temper? What nerve for you to talk to me about that! I'm the only one here with a clear conscience, it's the two of you who've had your little rampages, not me!" he snarled.

"Rather ironic, isn't it, considering you have the shortest fuse," Thomas said.

"Maybe it's caused by the shortest something else," Fyren tittered.

"If I ever get out of here, Fist, I swear you'll pay for that!" Brogan said, fighting his bonds from frustration. "You'll die a eunuch, mark my words!"

"That's the ticket, Cynn, let those negative feelin's fly, you'll feel much bett'r afterwards," Fyren said in such an amused tone it seemed to make him even angrier.

Thomas sighed. Moody, who had been eying them both with disgust, glanced over at him.

"So this is the price you pay for working with all pure bloods, is it?" Moody said dryly. The two stopped their bickering long enough to glare at their captor.

"The worst part is that the three of them haven't changed a bit, short of the thinning hair," Craw admitted. "Let them go for now, would you? I don't think either of them poisoned Brad."

"I notice that you didn't mention the dagger," Moody said, but reluctantly raised his wand, the vines suddenly becoming loose around them.

"I think the Council is still out on that vote," Craw admitted, watching as his two old acquaintances slowly stood, still eying Moody with suspicion and surprise.

"You don' really mean t' let us go?" Fyren asked with a frown. "I mean, 'im I can understand, but I'm money in the bank."

"If I caught you once, I can do it again," Moody said calmly. "Call it a temporary truce until we're at the bottom of this case. But if you lay a finger on anyone..."

"All right, I get where y' goin', guv," Fyren said. "I can be reas'nable for the right reas'n, long as nobody cheats me at th' card table, that is."

"What about Scur?" Brogan asked.

"If I see him, it'll be my duty to bring him in for questioning," Moody said solemnly.

"But 'e didn't do it, that I'm sure of," Fyren said fervently.

"My money's still on Malfoy," Brogan grunted.

"As is mine," Craw agreed, pacing. "But why now? It doesn't make sense."

"Especially with all the eyes on him, Thomas," Moody reminded him. "The Ministry is still combing the mansion daily for contraband dark artifacts, and he's had to set several thousand aside for bail and court fees. Personally, it'd be my inclination to scratch the old fool out as unlikely. He's got his hands full."

"Bravo, that's right. My 'at's off to 'ooever that anonymous tipper was for that lil' trick. Think it was 'is own blood?"

"Someone's blood, at any rate," Moody smirked, glancing at Thomas whose lip twitched slightly although he continued to pace. "So is anyone going to enlighten me as to why Scur was in the safe if he wasn't there to kill him?"

"Suffice it to say he was looking to see if some old business papers of ours had been stolen by whomever murdered him. They weren't," Thomas told him.

"And these papers are where now?" Moody asked.

"Safe with me," Thomas said. Moody frowned, his forehead gaining several solid lines in response.

"You know, Thomas, if you're found with those, you're writing yourself right back into Azkaban again."

"Thank you, I don't need the reminder," Thomas said but stopped, turning to look at the other two, who were watching them carefully. "But the fact remains that someone has murdered an acquaintance… from one of the old dark families which seem to be growing as quickly extinct as my own. These three fools are sitting ducks without me."

"Now 'oo you callin' a duck, duckie?" Fyren challenged. "And didn' ya tell Scur ya wanted no part of us?"

"Suffice it to say I've changed my mind," Craw said, the two others exchanging a smile while Moody looked somber and slightly worried. "Perhaps it's time we looked into this unfinished business of ours before it gets into the wrong hands. If I do agree to this, I'm to lead it, most likely from a distance since I am not likely to get out of the country. In the end, I may even have to enlist a proxy to take my place if you can't manage it without me, but we'll see."

"And who, might I ask, would you entrust our business with? This questionably motivated Auror here?" Brogan said skeptically.

"Not at all," Craw said evenly. "I meant my son-in-law. Severus Snape."

* * *

Aurelius stared at his Hogwarts letter when it came, musing over the booklist distractedly while Alex wrinkled her nose at Andrew.

"You took Runes and Arithmancy? You do like to punish yourself, don't you?" Alex said.

"Not really. I like math," Andrew said.

"Don't listen to her, Andrew, it's not half as bad as her taking another year of advanced Muggle studies," Aurelius said. "Look at that, and Divination on top of it! What practical use is any of it?"

"Well I find Muggles fascinating. And I thought Divination might be fun. I still have Magical Creatures, just like Andrew. That's always fun too."

"School is not supposed to be fun," Aurelius said. "You're setting yourself up for a hard life studying that rubbish."

"And what did you take this year? Something ruddy boring, I'd imagine," Alex said, reaching for his paper, but Aurelius quickly pulled back to try to keep her from seeing it. "Come on! Give me the sheet!"

"It's none of your business what I'm taking!" Aurelius said, trying to put it away. But Alex pounced and the two of them rolled over until she finally got a hold of it, pushing him back a bit as he tried to read it.

"Runes…Arithmancy…" she puffed. "What is with you boys? Magical Creatures… what in the?" She stood up and stared at the list, Aurelius glaring at her from where he sat on the floor. "What in the world is this? There must be some mistake!" Alex said.

"What's wrong, Alex?" Andrew asked.

"This isn't the fourth year Defense book. You should be in Identifying Dark Identities and Curses. This is the fifth year book; Complex Countercurses. Weasley must have accidentally copied it down wrong when she was doing them."

"You think so, do you?" Aurelius sneered, dusting himself off and grabbing his letter back. "Then I have news for you. I've been advanced a year in Defense."

"You what? You mean you might be in my class? They wouldn't do that to me! Father!" Alex shouted, bellowing down the stairs.

"Alexandria, please!" Jennifer called from the kitchen. Aurelius glanced in to see his mother helping Alicia in the kitchen. Alicia had gotten into trouble for sculpting potatoes and had been condemned to cooking again. "Have you taken your potion today?"

Aurelius snickered at that.

"Mother, I am completely appalled by the idea of having this immature little snit in my Defense class. Please tell me I'm not going to have to be subjugated to this!"

"Oh, that," Jennifer said, and then turned back to Alicia, pointing out something she missed in the recipe.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Alex said with exasperation. "I demand to know why I wasn't consulted!"

"Aurelius," Severus sighed as he appeared at the top of the basement stairs. "I thought we had an understanding that you weren't going to make a big deal out of this."

"Me! Tell her! She's the one who decided to rip my list out of my hand to see what I had!" Aurelius said, glaring at her. Severus glanced at Andrew. Andrew shrugged.

"She did do that, Father, after Aurelius made a comment about her not taking her class choices seriously enough for a fifth year student," Andrew said. "Or at least, that was the spirit behind what he said."

"Well, he does have a point," Jennifer admitted, frowning at her daughter. "Have you even given any thought at all to what you're going to say in your pre-OWL interview, Alex?"

"Yes, but I can't think of anything that I'm actually good at," Alex said.

"What, there aren't any positions for compulsive non-stop talkers?" Aurelius smirked.

"That'll do, Aurelius. You'd better go finish your reading," Jennifer told him.

"Father, you're not seriously putting him in fifth-year Defense, are you?"

"I prefer to keep my students challenged, Alex, and the fourth year class wouldn't have been, not that it's any of your concern. It was up to Professor Dumbledore, Weasley and myself to determine what was best for this particular student, and of course, his parents," Severus said.

"Never mind the fact that I might end up with him and the lil' show-off will do everything in his power to humiliate me with his so-called 'superior intellect,'" Alex complained.

"Good. Then perhaps you might actually pay more attention to the lessons and less time disrupting them with your constant whispering to other students," Severus said.

Alex stared at him then let out a short sigh of frustration, stomping up to her room. Watching her go, Severus then slipped into the kitchen, waving Andrew off to do his chores.

Glancing briefly at Severus' face, Jennifer helped Alicia get the roast in the oven before sending her out to play. Alicia immediately grabbed her pencils and pad to finish a sketch she was doing of the backyard.

"Jennifer, do you believe it's too late for us to write Hermione and tell her we changed our minds about the schedule?" Severus asked in a low voice.

"What, you mean about making sure the fifth year wasn't a Ravenclaw-Slytherin match-up?" Jennifer said. Severus nodded. "I thought we decided that might be too disruptive."

"Yes, well, it just occurred to me that having Aurelius in Alex's class may just be the motivation she needs to start taking her classes seriously," Severus said. Jennifer gazed at him searchingly. "Unless, of course, you'd rather have her going into general studies only to come out wondering blindly what to do with her life for who knows how many years."

"If she had her way, she'd do the bare minimum she needed and then get a Muggle job somewhere," Jennifer sighed.

"Probably even Muggle food services," Severus mused, ignoring the alarm growing on Jennifer's face. "And of course meeting a lot of Muggle boys, too… baggage handlers… truck drivers…"

"Oh, Severus, please don't tease like that! She'd have enough sense than to actually get involved with a Muggle, she's still a Craw, after all. Besides, she is still seeing Xavier," Jennifer said.

"Yes," Severus mused. "Fortunately for us he's graduating this year and will be out of the way."

"There you go again. I don't understand, Severus, why are you so against it? There's nothing wrong with Xavier Platt," Jennifer said.

"Except that if she ever did become a Platt, her children would fall under the same condemnation by goblins that all Platts share," Severus said, Jennifer frowning at him. "But we're getting off the subject. You're her advisor. Don't you think she should be taking her studies more seriously than she is?"

"Of course I do," Jennifer said with a sigh. "We can advise them but we can't exactly dictate their lives, can we? She has to make her own decisions."

"That doesn't mean we stop giving her reasons to make the right ones," Severus pointed out. Jennifer nodded to him supportively.

"You're right. Write the letter out and I'll sign it with you," Jennifer said. She was then distracted by the sound of the door, wiping off her hands and peering down the hall to catch her father heading up the stairs. "There you are! That took a while, didn't it? How was the funeral?"

"He's still dead," Thomas said curtly, still heading upstairs. "How was the funeral, what an idiotic question," he muttered under his breath before glancing upwards. "Where did we go wrong, Alice?"

"Well you're the ones that sent me to Whitebridge," Jennifer shouted irritably up the stairs. "I don't know why I try," she continued as she stepped back in the kitchen. "No matter how nice I try to be to him or what I do, he completely rejects it!"

"Jennifer, don't you think you might be just a bit oversensitive on this issue?" Severus sighed. "He treats everyone else the same way and you don't see anyone else flying off the handle…"

"He doesn't treat anyone else the same way. He criticizes everything I do…no matter what I do it's never good enough," Jennifer said, sitting down with a sigh. "He speaks to me and all the sudden I'm eight years old all over again."

"And you for your part treat him like someone who can't possibly take care of himself," Severus pointed out.

"That's not it exactly," Jennifer protested. "I'm just afraid that he'll just end up getting into trouble again… and apparently I have good reason. Did you see the Daily Prophet today?" Severus glanced up at her warily.

"No…"

"Well that 'business partner' of his, Scur… the one that father talked to in the Leaky Cauldron a few days ago… is wanted in connection with the murder of the very man whose funeral he went to today."

"Oh come, now, Jennifer, when has Thurspire ever been after the right man?" Severus sighed.

"You don't seem very surprised," Jennifer frowned at him searchingly. "You know something about all of this, don't you? You and Audi both! Oh no, not again!"

"Jennifer, the death actually took place several days ago. Your father had nothing to do with it. At this point he's merely expressing concern for his friends right now."

"A Craw doesn't 'express concern' without planning to act upon it," Jennifer said worriedly.

"Yes, I believe I can validate that statement," Severus said, earning a glare from his wife. "Jennifer, please, let's not bring this up, not yet. I have a feeling he will come to me if he really is into something, so let's give him time to do so. Besides, he's more likely not to fight my advice, so it's best if I handle it at any rate."

"And the last time you decided to handle anything you nearly got myself and our son killed," she pointed out.

"Only because you wouldn't stay out of it," Severus scowled at her.

"And you promised you wouldn't keep me in the dark like that again," she reminded him.

"I have no intention of doing so," Severus said firmly. "If you let me handle it in my own way." Jennifer relaxed a bit, walking over to him and leaning on the counter.

"And what would you do, if I suddenly up and told you that I was going to deal with a situation? Dare you tell me that you'd just calmly walk away?" she challenged quietly.

"Of course, if your reasons were justifiable. And in this situation now I am justified, and by your own admission half a moment ago on your incapability of having a civil conversation with the man," Severus said.

"Fine, have it your way," Jennifer sighed. "But I'm holding you to your word that you'll let me be if ever the situation does get reversed," she promised, calling Alicia in to finish dinner.


	5. Birthday Wishes

Chapter Five

Birthday Wishes

As the summer began to wind down and no news came to the papers about the murder, Jennifer's worries gave way to another more pertinent concern. It consumed her almost entirely while she tried to pick out what items of hers to pack and what not to pack. It even crossed her mind as she jotted down some preliminary notes on the new books she would be teaching that year, and it plagued her most especially after a hasty trip to Diagon Alley to make sure the children had everything ready before she and Severus took off for two weeks.

Two weeks… Jennifer frowned, scrubbing down the kitchen in a very fervent and unnecessary manner as if attempting to make the problem go away. Finally she dropped her brush, wiped off her hands and headed to the study where Severus sat in his easy chair again, quickly putting down his book when she entered.

"So you're working hard, I see. I hope you don't plan to pick up any of his other known bad habits," Jennifer coughed, bringing out her wand long enough to clear up the haze in the air.

"Hardly. I have you and that carnival upstairs to keep life from being too monotonous," Severus said. "There is nothing 'tediously mundane' about my life. Perhaps Sherlock Holmes would have been happier as a wizard," he mused. "And what would he have thought of you?"

"He'd probably think of me as a neurotic woman who spends too much time worrying about her children, and perhaps he would be right," Jennifer sighed, sitting on the arm of the chair. "Severus, let's not leave them here with Dad."

"Jennifer, I thought we settled this," Severus sighed, getting up and heading over to the desk. "Anna and Sirius will be in America getting Zoë settled in at her American cousins' house and doesn't need four more underfoot. The Weasleys are getting on in years and have enough to try and keep up with their own grandchildren, and Harry's out of the country helping Heather and Bill with some sort of oddity. Besides, you have told me often enough that Alex is old enough to take care of herself, and so are Aurelius and Andrew in my opinion."

"But what of Alicia? You know how sensitive she can be. And you know how Dad can be…"

"Have you ever heard him raise his voice to any of the children, Jennifer? Even Andrew?"

"Well, no, I haven't, but that's with me still here to be his punching bag," Jennifer said bitterly.

"Jennifer, your father is not the kind of man to change his mannerisms towards a person depending on who is in the room," Severus sighed. "If he had an adverse opinion of one of them I think we would have seen it by now, from your own ability if nothing else."

"True," Jennifer admitted. "But he does single Andrew out…"

"Oh, nonsense. There hasn't been any occasion where Andrew hasn't asked to go along that your father has excluded him."

"But he actually invites Aurelius. He always forces Andrew to ask!"

"And has Andrew ever expressed or ever shown any signs that this ritual of theirs bothers him?"

"That's not the point, Severus!"

"No, the point is that it bothers you," Severus said calmly. "And what's worse, you let him get to you so he has no reason to stop. Now, I'm sure it'll be quite all right. I've given all four of them stringent guidelines to follow and full permission to tell on one another if they don't. On top of which, they're under the instruction that if an emergency does come up they can come ahead early. Hermione and Dumbledore have already agreed to keep an eye out in the event that might occur. All right?"

"Fine," Jennifer sighed, watching as Severus packed the last of the items on his desk into a footlocker and kicked it. The footlocker quickly dropped four bare feet underneath itself and lumbered down the stairs towards the front hall. "I just hope nothing goes wrong."

"Are you sure you're not just feeling guilty about how relieved you are to be heading back to Hogwarts?" Severus asked. Jennifer looked at his serious face in surprise before grimacing sheepishly.

"Perhaps I am a little," Jennifer admitted. "All right, maybe a lot when it comes to leaving the children here. But I certainly won't miss dealing with father! He was so much easier to deal with when I only put up with him once a month and afterwards I always knew where he was."

"No one ever said Craws were easy to live with," Severus agreed only to have Jennifer turn on him with her hands on her hips. She chuckled when she realized he was baiting her and shook her head at him. "Come, I'll help you pack the lab. That way everything will be ready after breakfast tomorrow."

* * *

Alex ran downstairs after she saw the smoke to see the kitchen covered with splattered dough and Andrew and Alicia, standing in the middle, waving at a smoking pan that was bubbling over with burnt substance

"What are you doing?" she hissed, opening the back door.

"Making Mum breakfast for her birthday," Alicia said. "Crepes."

"Crepes?" Alex chuckled. "On the ceiling?" The other two looked glumly up at the dripping mess above them.

"I thought it'd be more authentic if we tried flipping them," Andrew admitted. Suddenly Severus came in from the door leading from the hallway, his alarmed face turning to one of exasperation when he saw the predicament at hand.

"You couldn't just let Mercy handle it," Severus scowled. "Are you intentionally trying to give your mother a reason to keep you from staying home?"

"Sorry, we were just…"

"Cleaning. And quickly," Severus suggested, glancing behind him. "While I attempt to stall."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything," Alex said. Severus hesitated but realized he had little choice but to leave her in charge and went back through the door.

By the time Aurelius and his grandfather came down, Alex had gotten it mostly under control. The berries Andrew had planned to use had been salvaged and placed on muffins baked the day before, and eggs were boiling happily in a pot on the stove while Alicia threw some flowers from the garden in a vase and brought out the eggcups.

It was at this point that Severus' attempts at stalling finally gave and Jennifer came out, already dressed in a Hogwarts vest and skirt as if eager to get back to work.

"So that's what's been going on in here!" Jennifer said, grinning at Severus who smirked sheepishly. "From what I was reading off of your father, I was expecting a disaster."

"Andrew and Alicia made breakfast, I'm just helping out," Alex said, taking the eggs off quickly.

"Happy birthday, Mum," Alicia said cheerfully.

"Thank you! But now you all know I don't like fuss! I'm glad you kept it simple," Jennifer said as she sat down. Alicia and Andrew exchanged a rueful grin.

"But we have more surprises too," Alex protested.

Thomas frowned, looking over at the table.

"Is that it? After all the burning you've been doing I was expecting something more," Thomas said. "Mercy! Breakfast."

"Thomas, I thought we had an agreement," Severus said in a low voice.

"I said I'd humor Jennifer today, Severus, I didn't say anything about the kids," Thomas grunted.

"Well I think this is perfect," Jennifer said, trying her best to ignore him. "Have you packed everything for school?"

"Mostly, except for a few outfits," Alex said.

"Well, keep in mind you're to be in early from now on, and stay within city limits," Severus warned her. "Unless you're with your grandfather and his escort, of course."

"And if you're asked to go," Jennifer put in with such a firm tone that they looked at her with surprise. "There will be no more of this inviting yourselves along. It's rude for you to do so and you're all old enough to know better. From now on you all have to be asked." She gazed at her father challengingly.

Thomas got ready to say something but then Severus cleared his throat and he merely smiled thinly as the children acknowledged her in turn.

"So just how old are you now, Jen-girl?" Thomas asked in an almost polite tone as he uncovered the breakfast that had appeared in front of him.

"Forty-one," Jennifer said, and Thomas choked on his first bite, putting his fork down and staring at her.

"No, you aren't!"

"I am," Jennifer said calmly, breaking her egg.

Thomas stared at her for a long time, trying to digest the fact that his daughter was that old. How strange it was… the flow of time through prison was interminably long when he lived through it, and yet so little had happened besides the daily routine of his work that now it seemed to pass within the blink of an eye with nothing truly interesting within it. And yet since he had gotten out, except for the children themselves which he had never known outside of Azkaban nothing had seemed to change, and it had never occurred to him until that moment just how wrong that was.

"You don't look forty-one," he said at last. "Just how many potions are you on anyhow?" A flush suddenly came into Jennifer's face and she put her spoon down.

"Thomas..." Severus warned.

"It's quite all right, Severus. It's nothing I haven't gotten before; at least in glances from everyone I've met. I shouldn't have expected any more consideration from my own father."

"Oh, come, now, Jen-girl, there's no need to deny it and I'd hardly blame you for wanting to maintain a youthful appearance. Besides, we all know how picky about your looks you are…" Severus sighed and closed his eyes as Jennifer got up and stormed out of the room. Aurelius glanced at the small package in his hand and quickly pocketed it, immediately wishing he had never got it, while the other three merely gazed at each other. "Now what is with her?" Thomas finished, annoyed at being walked out on.

"I have no idea," Severus said sarcastically and got up to find Jennifer, who was standing at the mirror in the bedroom with a distant expression on her face. "You're letting him get to you again," he said in a low voice.

"It's not just that," Jennifer said, immediately breaking out of her contemplation. "It's everyone. Every person I meet takes one look at me and is thinking the same thing."

"Oh, what the devil do you care what everyone else thinks? It's none of their business anyhow."

"Easy enough to say when you don't have to hear it. If you saw what people thought about you when you looked at them, I'm sure it'd bother you too," Jennifer said.

"I'm sure I wouldn't, and there's no cause for you to get worked up about it," Severus sighed.

"I think there's something wrong with me," Jennifer said, Severus sighing. "He's right, this isn't normal. I mean, look at me, Severus! I haven't changed in years!"

"Sure you have," Severus said quietly, gazing at her in the mirror. "Perhaps it is too subtle for the masses to notice, but you have. Especially your eyes," he murmured, turning her around. "There is a depth to your glances and your expressions that have grown over the years… more complex… more meaningful. Besides, most women I know would feel lucky to have your young features."

"Most women you know are teachers," Jennifer said dryly. "Even Danny and Hermione look older than me, and I had them both in my classes. Once we get to the school, I think I'm going to talk to Sagittari about it. Father's right, there's something unnatural going on."

"Well, since you've decided to take the very rare stance of agreeing with him, perhaps you'd like to rejoin us? I am under the impression that our children had some gifts for you, and although I know you're probably as anxious as I am to get back to the school, it is the last time you'll see them for a couple of weeks," Severus said.

Sighing, Jennifer came back out again but found the kitchen empty, so followed the sound of the voices to the front room where Thomas was shaking his head in complete disapproval. Alex and Andrew were kicked back a pile of cardboard and foam from the center of the room to reveal the gadget underneath of it.

"Surprise!" Alex beamed as Jennifer stared at the television set. "Do you like it?"

"Oh! Um," Jennifer said, trying to think of something to say as Alex gazed at the instructions then plugged it into the wall.

"Andrew, Alex and I bought it, Mum!" Alicia said. "But mostly Alex, since we don't have jobs yet."

"You see?" Aurelius said to Alex, and then turned to his parents exasperated. "I told them it was a silly idea."

"No no…" Jennifer said quickly. "I mean… perhaps it'll help us keep up with the Muggle news."

"Muggle news?" Thomas said with distain, staring at the contraption in front of him.

"Oh yes! Muggle news is fascinating!" Alex agreed. "And you'd be surprised how much that goes on in our society gets reflected in some way in their own, Grandfather."

"I'll take your word for it," he said, grabbing the morning's Daily Prophet off the mantle.

"Aurelius got you something too, didn't you Aurelius?" Severus prompted.

"Really, it's uh… well, I'm sure you wouldn't really want it, so let's just skip it," Aurelius muttered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Something to do with my mirror?" Jennifer asked curiously, sitting beside him. Reluctantly, Aurelius took out the package, and Jennifer opened it, drawing out a silk-lined dragon leather pouch embroidered with a Ravenclaw crest.

"Well, I noticed it was getting badly scuffed up as much as you carry it around, so I borrowed it long enough to size it for a sleeve. Professor… Madame McGonagall I mean… made it."

"It's lovely, Aurelius, thank you!" Jennifer said, and then felt a piece of paper inside. "But what's this?"

"That is from your father and myself," Severus said. "It's a gift certificate to McGonagall's new shop, for a fitting and five robes or dresses as suits you."

"Although now I wonder if we're merely pampering her vanity," Thomas grunted.

"On the contrary, I have more selfish reasons. It does my own ego no ill to watch jaws drop any time I arrive anywhere with her on my arm," Severus said with a serious expression. The frown that had threatened to develop on Jennifer's face from her father's comment suddenly broke into a soft smile.

"What in the world?" Andrew exclaimed in surprise. Jennifer glanced up at where Andrew was staring at the television set which he and Alicia had just managed to set up. "I don't believe it! It's Minister Malfoy!"

"What?" Jennifer said in surprise, staring at the set.

"Turn it up!" Alex insisted, the entire family becoming glued to the screen.

"Turn it up? Return it!" Thomas snapped, stepping up. "I'll not have anything with a Malfoy image in this house! They'll be able to trace us!"

"No, no, no, it's just electronic wave signals, not magic. They can't trace that," Alex tried to explain.

"Don't count on that!"

"Hush, I'm trying to hear!" Jennifer snapped.

"Well, the Special Services unit has actually been acting in conjunction with the government, Interpol and even the local police departments for quite some time," said a man in a suit standing next to Draco. On the other side stood a police officer who looked rather familiar.

"Look! It's Sarge!" Alex said excitedly, getting hushed again.

"It has acted over the years to pick up old cases that were left opened and yet could not be solved by normal scientific means, as well as over the years handling cases that the government felt need special handling. We are merely declassifying its existence, under the new heading of the British Esoteric Legal Authority, and we welcome its new chairman, Mr. Malfoy, with great confidence that he will help lead us into a greater level of internal cooperation and offer our citizens a greater sense of security."

As the three of them tried to break away, the swarm of supporters all began trying to get Draco's attention at once until at last he sighed, gesturing to someone over at the sidelines before heading in an office building. As the cameras refocused on the person left to divert the questions of the press, everyone in the room took a deep breath in sheer disbelief.

"It's Aunt Anna!" Alex said in a foreboding voice.

"Impossible! Severus, I thought she was in America! What is she doing on television?"

"Not answering much of anything, apparently," Andrew said rather disappointedly after Anna insisted over and over again that there were no plans to announce what specific cases they were working on.

"I'll be back later," Severus said at last, his sallow face even waxier than normal as he headed towards the door.

"But what about work?" Jennifer protested.

"I'll meet you there," Severus said, the door slamming behind him. Jennifer let out a long sigh, glancing at the pouch in her hand and sliding her mirror inside before glancing around.

"I had better be going too, I think. I admit I'm just as curious about this as Severus is, and Dumbledore's bound to know something," Jennifer said. "I guess I will see all of you in two weeks. And hopefully not from a jail cell," she added dryly. Thomas was too busy squinting suspiciously at one of the television advertisements to notice. "Try to keep him out of trouble."

"Of course we will," Alex said. "Don't worry, it'll be fine, Mum!"

"Then why do I feel like I'm leaving you by yourselves this time," Jennifer said, glancing one last time at her father, still apparently plotting the device's demise as she got her cloak, secured her trunks for delivery, and Disapparated. But her departure was like in a shot in the arm to Thomas, immediately turning off the television set.

"Good, I thought they would never leave. We have work to do," he said. "Come on, Aurelius, get your coat and let's go."

"Go? Where are we going?"

"But what about …" Alex suddenly put a hand over Andrew's mouth, muffling what he was going to say.

"No! Don't forget what Mum said. We can't go anywhere with him unless he asks!" Alex reminded him. At first Thomas hadn't noticed as he went up to his room, but when he came downstairs again with his cloak in hand he frowned, seeing the three of them still standing there.

"Well?"

"Well what, Grandfather?" Alex asked in an almost defiant tone.

"Well, are the rest of you coming, or aren't you?" he snapped.

"Is that good enough, you think?" Andrew asked.

"Sounded good enough to me," Alicia grinned. Alex looked thoughtful for a moment, and then finally nodded, the other two running to get their cloaks.

"I hope this doesn't end up involving anything illegal this time," Alex sighed with exasperation, following the rest of them out.


	6. The Trap that Wasn't

Chapter Six

The Trap That Wasn't

"I feel foul," Draco declared when they got back to the Ministry. He went straight to his office with his advisors behind him, all of them taking chairs when he locked himself in his private bathroom.

"Personally, I thought it went rather well," Arnie said. "Except with that last bit with the Oracle reporter. I suppose he'll lodge a complaint of some sort. But the point is that the Muggles bought it."

"And meanwhile our press is going to have a feast upon the fact that the Minister of Magic took blows at one of their reporters," Thurspire said, folding his arms and leaning against a chair.

"Well, Draco needs to learn how to control his temper. This is the second time since he took office three months ago that he launched himself at someone for calling him a name," Anna said.

"Anna, one doesn't call a Malfoy a mudlover without expecting some sort of disagreeable response," Arnie said. "If it had been his father instead of him that reporter would have already 'disappeared' by now."

"I don't care what family he's from. It doesn't give him an excuse to ruin his public image when he's in such a precarious political position," Anna snapped. "Besides, his father would have kept his cool at the time and just sent his henchmen to do it."

"Yes, but he's still young, Anna. In fact, he's probably the youngest Minister of Magic we have ever had. Not that I think he can't do the job. I think he's already proven that he can," Arnie said. "But he also has no experience in politics, so until he gets his feet wet, we'll just have to look out for these momentary setbacks." There was a soft knock and a curly headed small face peered in. "Come on in, Chester."

"Thank you sir," the faun said, the secretary coming in with a clipboard of neat papers and an ornate quill pen. "Do you suppose the Minister needs anything? Tea perhaps?"

"I believe right now he'd suffice with a wire brush," Arnie said with good humor, but the joke was lost on the serious goat-legged figure.

"Yes, sir, I'll write that down then," Chester said, Thurspire smirking a bit. Finally Draco came out in perfect order, wet hair slicked back and dressed in the least Muggle of his robes and a pair of fine black gloves with emerald clasps. "Excuse me, Minister?"

"I don't remember calling you," Draco said matter-of-factly to his secretary.

"No, sir, but your guards just finished having words with me sir, attempting to seek an audience with you. It seems that they were not informed of the nature of the press conference this morning…"

"And they will continue not to be informed," Draco said curtly, standing behind his desk and glancing at the paperwork. "The less they and the rest of my staff know about where I'm going to be next the less likely there will be another assassination attempt made on me. And in the future, I'd prefer you keep such information to yourself unless I call you."

"Oh, um, yes, Minister," Chester said meekly, slipping out of the room.

"You don't have to be so hard on him," Anna said, "he's just doing his job."

"He's doing his job as it was done in the past, Anna, when 'casualness' turned into a disease in this place, bringing nothing but laziness and lax attitudes. I expect this place to stay as formal as possible. Anyone who can't conform can go elsewhere. Actually, I want that sent out in a memo. Thurspire, have Chester step in here." Thurspire sighed and went towards the door. "And afterwards, get back to work. I want some sort of update as to Scur's whereabouts, and no more excuses."

"You know, Draco, I'm all for the changes you have started in motion, but are you sure you're not pressing a bit too hard? You can't expect the Ministry to change overnight. Your society by nature resists change."

"Three months is hardly overnight, Anna," Draco said and then glanced over as Chester came in. "I need you to take a note for me."

"Yes, sir. By the way, Professor Snape is in the lobby, sir, to see his sister," Chester added.

"Oh? I didn't know you had gotten around to tell him you were working for me," Draco said with an almost sinister smile.

"I didn't," Anna admitted with a sigh. "Let me go talk to him."

"No, go ahead and show him in," Draco said, nodding to Chester. A moment later Severus walked in and assessed the three near the desk thoughtfully; Arnie and Anna both still in Muggle clothes and Draco sitting down behind the desk.

"So this is where you've been hiding all summer," Severus said, glancing at his sister after a quick nod to Draco. "I had expected that you were over your head in something in the States, what with Zoë and all, but I see now I should have been looking closer to home."

"Anna came to me with wide experience in both law and journalism, offering to help me compound a list of fundamental problems with the current organization of our justice system. I am hardly going to turn down such an offer," Draco said. "Not only has she been invaluable on the reform committee, but has now assisted me in some public relations matters concerning Muggle affairs which personally, short of how their existence effects us, I could not care less about."

"Although he should..."

"I am not getting into that again, Anna," Draco said with a look of pure resolve. "Right now the Ministry needs to be looking inward to stop its deterioration from within. Not that I don't want you to do your jobs to… maintain civility," he said glancing at Arnie and Anna. "But my job must concentrate on the operations of the individual offices as a whole."

"Might I ask then why you went to all the trouble to establish the Ministry as this… BELA organization?" Severus asked.

"How did you hear about that?" Anna asked in surprise. "I didn't think that'd make print until this evening."

"Alexandria and the others decided to give Jennifer one of those blasted television sets for her birthday, although I highly suspect the present was intended for Alex's benefit rather than her mother's," Severus said irritably. Anna smiled, knowing that he probably wasn't far from the mark.

"As to that, Professor, you hardly need to look much farther than your own front doorstep," Draco said evenly, sitting down. "I promised Jennifer to take a stand on banning the Obliviation Charm and have every intention of fulfilling it. But I am not stupid enough to attempt to bring up such a thing to the Council until I already have alternatives already being practiced within the Law Enforcement Ministry. By supporting this newfound 'legitimacy' we can use it to more easily deal with and explain away occurrences of magical knowledge contamination. It will actually be Peasegood here who will be in charge of that side of things as he is the Minister of Accidental Magic, and has already assured me that his subordinates will cooperate."

"Quite gladly, sir," Arnie agreed. "Professor Dumbledore even sent a list over with suggestions of alternatives as well, and I'm thinking of trying one or two out myself."

"Fine, but send any new ploys of yours to my desk first before you try it," Draco said firmly. "We are in a difficult position right now. Eyes are on us from all sides, waiting for us to make a mistake. I can't afford a mistake right now."

"And yet Ederick Thurspire is still the Minister of Law Enforcement," Severus mused; earning a dirty look from his former student while he calmly glanced at a Daily Prophet on the paper. "What, no sign of Mr. Scur anywhere? Not even a solid lead? How astonishing."

"There are also several Aurors working on the case as well, Severus, please don't add your voice to those raised against me," Draco said warningly.

"I am not against you, Draco, I'm against his appointment," Severus said. "He is going to end up turning your entire reform movement into a tangled knot if he pulls the strings."

"He isn't pulling them, Severus, I am," Draco said firmly. "And despite everyone's opinion of his sometimes shortsighted conclusions, he really is quite observant when it comes to plucking at problems nobody wants to deal with. But make no mistake, I am now the last word in the Law Enforcement office, and I'm not about to let this reform get knotted by anyone. Even my father for that matter, and hell knows he's doing his best," Draco said wryly before turning back to his work.

* * *

"What is it that we're looking for again?" Aurelius asked in annoyance as he used a gloved hand to pick up a candlestick. It had a dark halo around it, an indication of some curse; although why anyone would curse a candlestick escaped his imagination.

Of course, the majority of items in the Craw vault had dark halos as well as cautiously but curiously the four Snapes glanced at the collection of heirlooms.

"A box, made to fit a book, with a sliding lid," Thomas said, opening up the drawers of a bureau making sure nothing had been left inside.

"You mean like what they put family Bibles in?" Andrew asked, and Thomas hissed at him.

"Use your senses, boy! Don't use that term in here! There are a lot of very sensitive dark items present." Craw snapped.

"Were Craws Satan-worshippers?" Alex asked curiously. Thomas glared at her.

"You know Alexandria, it's hard to believe, but the bigger you get, the bigger your mouth gets," Aurelius stated, shaking his head at her.

"Well your mouth gets nastier the deeper it gets, and yet you haven't grown an inch. Next year we'll be using you for a foot stool," Alex said primly. As Aurelius prepared to launch himself at his sister, Thomas was quickly on the move, standing between them.

"May I remind both of you that you are standing on a pile of heirlooms with enough dark magic to blow this entire bank up?" he snarled at them. "And for your information, although several Craws were said to have made pacts with the devil in the past, that was quite a number of generations ago during our Christian years well before the family was excommunicated. Since then we've decided to stay out of religion, now enough family history. Cool your tempers at once and get back to searching!"

"But it's so nerve wracking! I'm afraid of touching the wrong thing and something bad happening!" Alicia complained.

"Don't worry, most of the heirlooms in here are specifically designed not to be able to harm anyone with Craw blood," Alex said.

"Alicia, worry," Aurelius said, looking at his sister with a frown. "Never take anything for granted."

"Don't forget, it was a Craw heirloom that nearly killed Mum and you, Alicia, before you were even born," Andrew pointed out. "None of this stuff should be taken lightly."

Aurelius suddenly straightened from where he had been bending over looking at a cigar case, glancing towards the door.

"Did anyone hear something just now? Like a muffled cry?" he asked.

"Please don't say that," Alicia said. "I'm nervous enough as it is."

Just then, they heard a squeak and all looked up to see the vault door swinging shut. Just before it did, a loud echoing whisper announced, "THE SECRET WILL DIE WITH YOU!"

As the door swung shut, Thomas stuffed something in his pocket and went over to stare at it with obvious bewilderment.

"What was that about?" Alex said in an excited tone. "Did someone mean to shut us up in here?"

"Relax, it's not as if we don't have another way out, you know," Andrew said, nodding to Alicia who nodded with a smile.

"Whoever shut that door didn't know that," Aurelius said.

"But there is a goblin guarding the door," Andrew said.

"Was may be the correct term," Thomas brooded. "Aurelius, you heard a muffled cry?"

"Someone took the guard out," Aurelius said.

"We had best go get help then," Alicia said, pulling out a pad of paper.

"Wait!" Aurelius said, holding his hand out. "If you do that, how are we going to explain how we got out? There are no paintings you can get to in the vaults that their doors won't be closed. We'd have to come out in the lobby or one of the meeting rooms."

"Well, we can't just stay in here. The air will thin out!" Alex said.

"Yes, especially with you in here. Use your brains, moron, we're wizards. Even a first year can cast a fresh air spell," Aurelius said. "We'll just have to wait here until someone comes."

"Then you're going to be the one to cast it, because I am NOT going to be subjected to the Gringotts curse," Alex said, putting her nose in the air. Aurelius rolled his eyes.

"Not to mention that the wait would depend on how badly injured the goblin is," Thomas said. "And I strongly suspect that he is dead."

"Dead?" Alicia repeated ominously.

"Whoever did this would hardly want us found too soon, would they?" Thomas said darkly. "They would probably have hidden the body and cleaned up any signs of him passing."

"Well only another goblin can sign a cart out, so sooner or later, someone's bound to notice it's not come back yet," Alex said.

"I have an idea," Andrew said. "Alicia will take me to the lobby and I'll sneak out and grab a cart going towards the lower levels and open the door for you. Then we can all say we just walked out, and we don't know what happened to the guard, because that much is true, we don't know what really happened, we're only guessing."

"Right," Thomas agreed. "A sound plan provided you don't get caught."

"Even if he did, he's hardly guilty of anything," Aurelius said. "If nothing else and you do get caught, Andrew, explain that we went down without you and haven't come back up yet. Alicia, you stand guard at the painting for fifteen minutes or so in case he needs to come back."

"Right," Andrew and Alicia agreed before jumping in the sketch she had made. Sighing, Aurelius settled down for a wait, Thomas following suit by leaning against the door, but Alex couldn't contain herself anymore.

"What secret?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Thomas merely stared at her as if stunned by the question, while Aurelius took a handkerchief out of his pocket and stuffed it in her mouth.

Andrew slipped out of the painting into a hallway that appeared to lead to the accounting department and, still invisible, walked into the busy bank room, careful not to let anyone jostle him. He stood by the carts for a few minutes, listening to the vault numbers they were going to. But all of them were quite high, and Andrew knew from experience that the higher the number the more likely it was near the top levels. He sighed, thinking about taking the Myrkenbrek express and trying to backtrack when he overheard a conversation between two goblins… one he immediately recognized as Griphook, and there was a paper in his hand.

"If he's sleeping on the job again I am personally going to tan his hide and send him to the mines," Griphook snarled.

"Last I saw him he took the Snapes down to the Craw vault an hour ago," the cart foreman said. "He didn't report into me. Are you sure they're not still down there?"

"The record says he signed them off, twenty three minutes ago," Griphook snapped, looking at his pocket watch. "If he's on break, he's three minutes late! As soon as he appears, send him to me."

"Yes, sir," the foreman said. Andrew frowned thoughtfully, but then hurried back the way he came, making sure the hallway was empty before reappearing to get his sister's attention.

"Oh, Andrew! I was just getting ready to head back. Anything wrong?" Alicia asked.

"Well, yes and no…not for us at any rate, things got simpler. Give me a hand up," Andrew said, and quickly the two of them got back, yelling out of the sketch to get the others' attention. "It's all right, we can go out this way. Nobody will know," Andrew assured them.

"What do you mean no one will know?" Aurelius squinted.

"I heard Griphook said we've been signed out, like we'd been returned all ready," Andrew said.

"Of course," Thomas said grimly, the others looking at him. "If they hadn't someone written us out, sooner or later they would have come looking for us. This way they're only looking for the missing goblin."

"So if it hadn't been for Alicia, we might have been down here for two weeks before anyone would have noticed," Alex said darkly.

"Ten days, actually. That's my next parole officer meeting," Thomas mused. "But point taken."

"Wait, wait, wait! If we go out that way, even if nobody else realizes we found some other way out, the murderer will know," Aurelius said.

"I think the murderer would figure that something went wrong no matter how we arranged it," Andrew pointed out. Thomas brooded a moment.

"I believe the most discreet way is probably the best, and that would be by taking the painting. In this way, it may be a day or two before whomever killed the goblin realizes we're gone," Thomas decided. "Come, let us go home. And nobody goes out tonight," he added. "We cannot risk being seen right now."


	7. Sleuths

Chapter Seven

Sleuths

Jennifer wasted no time in getting to work after her meeting, double checking her syllabi to make sure all of it worked with the new books. She was pushing herself intentionally to get ahead of schedule, so as night approached she put the last of the boiling cauldrons to simmer and made her way up to the parapet. There she finally allowed herself to take a deep breath as she felt the wind on her face and looked out over the lake.

It was a wonderful moment; she hadn't been able to relax for months, and although there was still a nagging worry about leaving her children in London, she allowed herself to push it away and revel in the fact that she was home again. And the best part, she realized, was just being there and on time with no major calamities to spoil it. How horrible it had been last year, all the trouble with her adopted son's shop and the town, and then put in jail to boot.

Jennifer couldn't help but be optimistic this time. She was quite sure it couldn't get much worse than it had been then, especially now with Ciardoth gone and Malfoy caught up in legal trouble. Could this finally be the "boring routine" school year that she hadn't had since before her own children began attending school? She smiled at the thought knowing it was probably too good to be true but still hoping for it nonetheless.

How she heard the footsteps behind her she wasn't quite sure; but lately she had found she could almost sense Severus as he approached and his silence no longer seemed silent at all.

"Severus, I have made up my mind about something," Jennifer said.

"Oh?" He stepped to her side and leaned on the parapet, giving her a slightly suspicious sideways glance

"I have decided not to stick my nose into anything that isn't by business this year," Jennifer declared. Severus turned and stared at his wife dubiously.

"Might I have that in writing?" he asked.

"No, really, I'm serious!" she chuckled at him. "I was thinking just how nice it would be to have a quiet, peaceful year with neither of us getting involved in anything." Severus squinted at her.

"Who are you and what have you done with my wife?" Severus asked, and she merely chuckled and shook her head at him. "So how did your visit go with Sagittari?"

"He said that I am in perfect health," she admitted.

"There, you see?" Severus said.

"But that my stress levels are unhealthy and that I shouldn't let my doting husband offer me a sedative instead of trying to offer suggestions on how to relax naturally," Jennifer finished with a challenging smile.

"Well, I can at least think of one way," Severus mused.

"Oh, you are horrible tonight, Professor! You must be as glad to be out of that madhouse as I am," Jennifer poked him.

"Probably, although without the guilt," Severus said, Jennifer grimacing in response. "You know, if you really mean us to, as you say, 'keep our noses out' this year, you're going to have to finally convince yourself that everyone else's problems aren't yours to contend with."

"Who I worry about most are our children, and I have every right to."

"And your Father? Don't you think he can take care of himself?" Severus asked.

"Well, no, actually," Jennifer admitted, "but I'm only worried about him right now because he's looking after them. Otherwise I wouldn't be giving him more than a second thought."

"Really," Severus said in an expressionless tone that indicated he didn't believe it in the slightest. "I think Corey can take care of himself as well."

"If he could only keep his apothecary out of red ink," Jennifer sighed. "And he's so lonely…oh, Severus. I can't help but feel responsible for that."

"Shall we ask him to come live with us as well?"

"Now, you know that's not what I meant," Jennifer said impatiently, frowning disapprovingly at his continuing attempts at humor. "I meant about the whole soul mate thing. What if he never meets the one he was intended to be with? She could be halfway across the globe, or married already, or dead or…."

"Or an inappropriate age for all we know. What would have happened to us do you think if we met when I was twenty-seven, hm?"

"Well, nothing, obviously," Jennifer said sheepishly.

"Yes, and you'd have been discounted immediately from my mind perhaps for many years after you had reached adulthood, assuming I hadn't written you off permanently. Corey is still very young but he is quite capable of making his own decisions about such things. If he wants to wait I hardly think we of all people should stand in his way."

"Severus, you are such a closet romantic," Jennifer chuckled. "I swear, I think you actually believe he has a chance."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he found what he's looking for, no," Severus admitted, looking out over the lake rather at his wife. "Although I can hardly expect all of our children will."

"I'd be happy if the four of them merely found partners capable of keeping them out of trouble," Jennifer chuckled. Severus glanced at her and she met the gaze, both of them shaking their heads knowing it wasn't likely to happen.

* * *

Alex leaned against her open window and looked out onto Baker Street, brooding. There was a quick knock on the door and Alicia peered in.

"Aren't you going to come up to the attic?" she asked. "Rel's called a meeting."

"I want to wait and see how angry Xavier is about me breaking our date. I told him there was a family emergency," Alex sighed.

"Yes, I suppose someone trying to kill us definitely can be classified as a family emergency," Alicia agreed.

"We were going to walk down the Strand, go out to eat, do some shopping…my last chance to visit the Muggle side of London before school started. I could have gotten all sorts of photos for class! Perhaps I could have talked him into going to the theatre. Now there's something I could get into, theatre. Do you suppose I'd make a good actress?" Alex mused.

"Well, you're definitely dramatic enough. Now, come on! It's not like Dodger doesn't know where the attic is," Alicia said insistently.

Up the ladder the two of them went, and Darwin chirped a loud greeting at Alex, declaring just how lovely an evening it was. Of course, Alex knew Andrew's finch Darwin well enough to know that it could be literally raining cats and dogs and Darwin would declare it a lovely evening.

"About time," Aurelius said, grunting at them as they came up and took seats on the bed. "I tried to speak to Grandfather when we got back but he locked himself in his room. If he has any idea who it was who was responsible for what happened, he's definitely not made any sign. However, I did notice just before he left that he found the box he was looking for. I saw him stuff it in his cloak just before we jumped in the sketch."

"There must be something vital in there. Something someone wants so badly that they're willing to kill for," Alex said darkly.

"No, that doesn't make any sense," Aurelius said.

"What's wrong, too obvious for you?" Alex challenged.

"Too obvious that it's not the right answer," Aurelius retorted. "Consider, whoever did this was able to get down in the mines undetected and kill a goblin without the alarms even going off. Why would he bother to wait until we're around and then not only lock us in but also lock in the item in question? First off, not only would they have to wait until we were discovered to get it, but if his or her plan went off as suspected and we were dead, there'd be a full investigation. That would include looking at everything in the vault that would be of interest. If the voice was right and not trying to throw us off, the true reason is then that one of us has information that that person is attempting to keep quiet and will kill to do so."

"And that person, more than likely, is grandfather," Alex put in.

"Brilliant, Alexandria. I hope you didn't use up all your brain cells for the day on that one," Aurelius said. "It also seems suspicious that all of this happened after this Mr. Scur shows up, when he is wanted in connection to a murder of someone else that grandfather knows."

"I still can't figure out where I've seen him before," Alicia sighed, the others looking over at her. "The more I think about it, the more I'm sure I saw him somewhere."

"Do you suppose it was Scur then who tried to murder us?" Andrew said. "Not that he was the friendly sort when we met him, but he didn't seem like the type."

"They never do," Aurelius said darkly.

"Well, I think it's time we did a little investigating then," Alex said at last. "I say we go have a look at Mr. Scur and have Andrew do some scouting."

"For once I agree with you," Aurelius said with a nod. "But let's not worry grandfather. Everyone start your normal evening routines, say goodnight, and head for your bedrooms. At the strike of the hour, Alicia will collect the rest of us and we'll be on our way."

It hadn't been the first time that they had used this sort of system that summer, although it was true that most of those occasions had been to visit their cousins or some other errand, none so serious as this. One by one, Alicia lifted them up into the frames of paintings in their rooms until they were all there, each one with their cloaks and potion kits and wands, ready for anything. Blackness engulfed them as she stepped between the paintings, and to the others it seemed to take a very long time before they finally stopped at a painting so dark they would have missed it if Alicia hadn't known it was there.

Cautiously Alicia led them into a frame, but a thick coat of dust covered it, making it nearly impossible to see through. Quickly sticking her head out and back again, Alicia glanced back and nodded silently. Andrew took her hand and disappeared as she slowly pulled him out into the room.

Andrew wiped off the dust in one small corner, but it was so old and caked that it took some time to do it. Even then there was a haze on the glass as the other three peered into the gloom. Waves crashed nearby, close enough to feel an occasional shudder, and Andrew couldn't help but wonder at it as he looked around what appeared to be a storage cellar chiseled out of existing rock. Dusty crates were piled along most the walls and also in a great pile in the center of the room. In one corner, a hammock was tied to the wall with a wool blanket and thin pillow. A long wood desk sat under a rickety staircase, littered with empty cans and food wrappers while a metal wastebasket was turned over to form its own little table, filled with odd junk. The only light came from the open trap door leading up from the stairs, but Andrew had a hard time creeping up it without the stairs creaking noisily as if in protest to the intrusion. Finally he was able to peer out and take a quick look around before sliding the pole banister back down again.

"Upstairs there's an empty wooden floor, a spiral staircase leading up, some sort of electronic equipment, and a painted metal door leading out," Andrew said softly. "I think we're in some sort of lighthouse. Wait, someone's coming," he said, quickly finding a corner out of the way.

"Hurry, do please hurry," Scur's voice said from above as a shadow went over the trap door and Scur came down looking nervous, offering a hand.

"I'm an old woman, Rinan. I usually don't get excited enough to be in too much of a hurry," came a familiar cackle. A moment later Audacious Belle stepped down, and Rinan quickly lit a candle then shut the door behind them. She glanced around the bleak room expressionlessly. "Nice place."

"I've lived in worse," Rinan said curtly, grabbing a couple of dusty chairs that were hanging on hooks on the wall. "Craw says I'm to trust you, although I must admit I am leery as the rest about taking someone such as you into our confidence."

"Thomas and I have a complicated past. Alice was very dear to me," Audacious said. "He would have come himself today, but an incident occurred while he was at the bank," she said, sitting down and looking him in the eye. "Someone murdered one of the bank employees."

"Yes, well, one less goblin in the world," Rinan shrugged. "So?"

"He was standing guard at the Craw vault. Then whoever the killer was decided to shut it… along with Thomas and the Snape children."

"What?" Scur said, obviously taken off guard. Then he thought about it for a moment, and then chuckled. "Then whoever did it was either quite foolish or quite clever."

"I agree," Audi said with a smile, "But why do you think so?"

"Because not one goblin would have missed a spell cast in one of their vaults if they wanted to alert them. On top of which, there are few dark families foolish enough to mess with the Snapes. Of course, if they had thought Thomas in there alone, then I can see the point. He would have been forced to use a spell… assuming of course, he had a wand at his disposal. But there can be no mistake that whoever did this must have seen the children… who, although they might face some small reprimand for using a spell outside of the school, would have nothing to lose by casting."

"Except being victim to Gringotts curse," Audi pointed out, folding her hands across her lap. "So why would anyone have done it? Why take a life for a trap that wasn't foolproof?"

Scur snorted at that.

"They killed a goblin, Auror. There are plenty who wouldn't blink at that," Scur said. "But I think there can be only real explanation. Whoever did this was merely using a scare tactic… a threat… hoping that the fact they'd be willing to 'kill' the grandchildren would make him reconsider getting involved."

"Then whoever did it doesn't know Thomas very well," Audi said. "It's served only to make him more determined. So what is it, exactly, that this is all about? I mean, if I'm going to risk what little respect I have left as an Auror, not to mention take my partner's reputation down with me, I should know what's going on. But first thing's first. Did you or didn't you kill Brad?"

"Of course not," Scur said in annoyance. "Brad was our leader, and I certainly didn't want the position. In fact I would go so far as to say that neither would Brogan or Fist."

"Yes, dearie, but what exactly was he a leader of?"

"A business," Scur said with a flash in his eyes, "that no longer exists."

"Well, that'd explain why nobody would want the position then, wouldn't it?" Audi clucked. "And how exactly did you get into Brad's safe that night?"

"That's no wonder. I knew the combination," Scur said, going to the desk drawer to get something out. Suddenly he stepped back and Andrew noticed a flashing light going off. "We're being watched!" he said in surprise, scrambling for his wand.

"What? Out here?" Audi said, jumping up. "Wait! Quiet!" she grabbed onto his sleeve when she noticed the sound of footsteps. But just when things settled enough for her to hear clearly, they stopped. "Blast it! I'm calling Alastor!"

"What?" Scur said, immediately terrified. "You can't call him out here! He's the one that's been dogging me!"

"I know that, but he'll listen to me, trust me," Audi said. Grabbing a mirror and pulling it out, she tapped on it with her long, slightly curled nails. "Front and center!"

With a loud POP Mad-eye Moody appeared, his wand drawn and his magic eye roving about in all directions before zooming in on Scur.

"Wait! Not him! There was a snoop in the room!" Audi said quickly. Immediately he spun about again before darting up the stairs, sounding like an elephant being hounded by squeaking mice as the stairs creaked underneath him. He popped open the door and a flood of light came in around him while he looked out furtively. "Wait!"

"Now what, woman?" Alastor said impatiently, turning around.

"I don't remember hearing anyone on the stairs!" Audi said, and he grumbled and came back down.

"Well, I doubt you'd miss it! How do you know there was someone listening then?" Alastor asked. Scur went to the desk and pulled out the Snoop-o-meter and the two of them looked at it thoughtfully. "Hurrumph. Must have Disapparated."

"Didn't hear it," Audi said. "Just footsteps."

"A port key then! Where did you hear the footsteps?" Alastor asked.

"On the floor," Audi said with exasperation, and he rolled his magic eye in a disturbing manner. But then the eye homed in on something and Alastor turned so both eyes had a chance to focus in. Audi's eyes followed his gaze. The extra light had helped her see what she had missed before; a distinct pair of footprints over in the far corner of the room. "Rinan, have you been over in that part of the room today?"

"No, not at all. But how…" Alastor knelt then, testing a corner of the dust on the floor between two fingers before holding up a hand, then glanced at Scur's foot.

"Definitely a larger, but much narrower foot. Thin. Male. Around six feet, I'd think. And intentionally distributing his weight to walk more silently… at least…" Moody frowned, glancing at the stairs and back. "As he was coming from this corner towards the stairs…" he finished, glancing at where the prints faded into the used portion of the room. "But strangely enough, he seemed to be in a much bigger hurry to get back to the corner than out of it," Alastor said, his scrutiny displaying his undivided interest. Then he suddenly lifted up his heals and eased his toes up, Scur's jaw dropping in response of watching the old Auror drifting across the floor in Ultra-light shoes, careful not to disturb the dust with sudden movements. "The footsteps stop here. There must be a secret passage."

"It's not possible! I would have known if there was!" Scur insisted.

"Then why come back to this corner? We know he didn't take the stairs. If he had a key, why not disappear where he was?" Alastor brooded more to himself than them. "No prints on any of these crates…" it was then he frowned, squinting at the tiny corner dusted off the glass of a painting, squinting at it with complete bewilderment.

"That was so close," Alex said after they had jumped into the darkness between frames, careful not to lose sight of Alicia. "When she said she was getting Moody, I thought we were done for sure!"

"I know! I barely got back. Good thing they didn't see your hand, Alicia! The jig really would have been up then," Andrew admitted.

"So what exactly have we learned from this besides how to screw up to the point that we nearly got another part of the Pact exposed?" Aurelius said, sounding undeniably grumpy. He too had had quite a scare at the moment where Andrew might have been caught, and his momentary weakness had put him in a dark mood.

"Well, we know Scur didn't kill Grandfather's other friend," Alex said, "which means that if he's innocent, Grandfather can't get in trouble for having spoken to Scur. Not to mention if he's got Audi and Moody looking out for him, then we've no cause to worry about him. They're awful sharp, and it's two pairs of eyes for one on top of it."

"Alex, we're talking about the man who went to Azkaban for running circles around Voldemort and his Death Eaters," Aurelius points out. "No one outwits a Craw."

Just then the others bumped into Alicia who had stopped to peer out a painting. The others immediately recognized it as a painting of The Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch as Seen from a Broom that Alicia had sketched last year.

"So we're back, then?" Aurelius said impatiently.

"Odd, I was sure this was on my wall," Alicia frowned. She was looking up at the ceiling. "Let's try the next one."

But the next painting, which was actually a Pyther landscape of the main street in Hogsmeade at night, seemed to be in a strange position as well. For as Alicia peered out, she saw the back of another frame, and from the date one of her earlier works that she dubbed the "Stoddard" years.

"Uh oh," Alicia frowned, looking so worried that it startled her siblings. But before they could get an answer she had jumped over to the next frame and peered out.

"What's going on?" Alex demanded. Alicia just looked apologetically back at her, stepping further into the frame. It was at a strange tilt, but the others found themselves looking at carpet and book-lined walls of the study. "Wait, where are you going?" Alex said as Alicia reluctantly stepped out and before any of them could say anything else pulled them out as well.

The four of them then turned extremely somber as they realized what happened, for sitting in the plush chair near the fire sat Thomas Craw, looking at them with a calm but rather dark expression while his fingers were pressed together in an almost indecisive way as if contemplating what to do with the four condemned souls in front of him. For piled up at his feet, the others quickly realized, was every single painting in the entire house.


	8. Middle Class Dilemmas

Chapter Eight

Middle Class Dilemmas

With a relief that easily matched their parents when they had left, Alex stepped off the platform of Nine and Three Quarters and the onto the train, finding with surprise one of Xavier's classmates waiting for her to lead her back to where Xavier was standing between compartments, the others following behind her.

"Alexandria, finally! Are you all right?" Xavier asked.

"Let's just say the four of us got a true taste of what it's like to live with the ex-Warden of Azkaban," Alex said ruefully.

"Well, we'll try to make up the lost time, then. Care to sit up with us and the Prefects?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude being that I'm not…"

"Oh, nonsense. You're with me. Who's going to complain, the Head Girl? I think not. Your friend Mandria is there too. Come on," Xavier said.

"Wait a moment! What about us?" Aurelius protested. Xavier gazed at the boy with an enigmatic smile and patted his shoulder.

"Next year you'll have your chance," Xavier told him, offering his arm to Alex as they headed to the front of the train.

"Next year he says!" Aurelius growled angrily, storming into the first empty compartment. Andrew and Alicia glanced at each other and followed him. "But there won't be a next year, and just because I'm a Snape!" he said, kicking the bench before sitting down, seething.

"Are you sure so sure about that?" Andrew asked. "I mean, I know what Mum said about Alex, but have you spoken to Father about it?"

"No, but I am thinking about talking to Snape about it," Aurelius said.

"Andrew! Andrew!" The three of them looked up to see Halbert standing in the door, his cheeks rosy and eyes beaming. "I got a familiar! Come see!"

"You mean your father actually gave you something they'd let on the train?" Aurelius smirked, waving his siblings on. He had just gotten settled and propped his feet up when Stock and Heph passed by and Aurelius called out to them.

"Look at you! Sitting here like you own the place!" Heph said when he peered in. "And what happened to your voice? You sound weird!"

"Well, that's what you get for not coming over all summer," Aurelius retorted irritably. "I thought you were interested in seeing the house."

"We ended up spending most the summer at my grandparents," Heph said glumly. "You wouldn't believe how much of a pain they can be!"

"Oh yes I could. I had to spend the last two weeks with my grandfather, and he made us do hard labor for most of it. Without spells, no less!" Aurelius grumped.

"Really? Is he angry about… well, you know," Heph said. Aurelius squinted at him.

"What?"

"Well, that weird business last year when you got expelled and lived with Malfoy," Heph finished.

"He doesn't know everything about that," Aurelius said irritably.

"We're still waiting to hear everything about that," Stock pointed out.

"Well, you can keep on waiting. At the beginning of the summer Father made everyone promise not to discuss it, and I'm glad he did or I think the entire summer would have been unbearable, really," Aurelius admitted. "Please, let's just drop it."

"Fine," Heph said, but sounded annoyed that he still didn't want to talk about it. "So how was your summer, Stock? Any luck getting the mine back?"

"Oh, uh… Father has someone looking into it. Counselor Brahms."

"Brahms? Never heard of him," Heph mused.

"Well he's ah… well, he's a sort of public counselor, but it's not important, really. I couldn't care about the mine now. I'd prefer other lines of business anyway. In fact, you know with all the rain we had this spring, we're going to have a record year on the crop. Father's put me to the books since I've such a head for business. And I've signed up this year for Sprouts husbandry course," Stock said in his normal haughty tone. But Heph didn't look impressed in the slightest.

"I see. Well, just as long as you don't screw up the farm and sign it over to anyone I suppose," Heph said. Stock's ears turned bright red and he stared at him as if trying to think of something to say.

"Better signing it than buying it," Aurelius retorted. "And what did you do at your grandparents' place? Sit on your ass, most likely."

"Naturally," Heph said, taking no offense whatsoever. "The cart's coming around soon. Anyone have any spare coin?"

"Why don't you offer to buy for a change?" Aurelius suggested harshly. "Stars know it'd be about time."

"So that's how it is, is it?" Heph said, standing up. "Some friends you are! If I wanted to be treated that way, I'd have sat with my sister. You know, I would think you'd treat another housemate better. In fact, I think I'll go find someone else to sit with," he declared and got up, dragging his pack with him as he slid the door open and stormed out.

"You see, Stock, sometimes the garbage can take itself out," Aurelius said disdainfully. He glanced over at his friend, who was sitting unusually silent and thoughtful, looking out the window of the train as it began to pull out. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, only, well, you're sure quick to renounce your friends is all," Stock said.

"What?" Aurelius said in surprise. "Me? Heph was the one who walked out of here because we didn't play his game."

"Because of the way you treated him!" Stock snapped. "You know I don't have many close friends, Rel. I'd appreciate it if you didn't bust up one of the few I have to suit your bloated ego!"

"What? I was sticking up for you!" Aurelius blinked at him.

"No, you weren't. You were trying to make me pick a side, his or yours!" Stock said, standing up and digging in his pocket. "Well, I'm not going to do it, Rel. I'm going to go make up with Heph, even if it takes my last knut. At least I know Heph isn't going to try to turn me against anyone. But what should I expect from someone who turns against his own family," he snapped as he headed out the door.

Aurelius stared after him, his face pale and with such a lump in his stomach he momentarily thought he was going to get sick. Feeling completely awkward having a compartment to himself, Aurelius gathered up his things and peered out, offering the seats to a couple of first years who had taken refuge in the corridor and went to find where his brother and sister had went.

It was then that he passed by a compartment abnormally full of students, and most of them, he quickly realized, were his own housemates. They were enraptured in a story being told to them by a very large boy who took up one whole bench. One of his legs sprawled the length of it while he leaned casually on the window, letting his hands and eyes tell the story as much as his words. Aurelius wasn't even sure if they could have understood it all without the gestures, for his accent was thick. But even if Aurelius hadn't recognized the voice, he would have recognized the towering Eigil Hauk from Durmstrang.

"And then, quick as Snitch, she batted da phial in da Ridgeback's mout', and down he went in a deep sleep, and dat is how Lady Archibald got the drake out of the Quidditch Cavern," he finished, several of the students around them breaking out in laughter.

"It must be quite a challenge, having matches in a cavern like that," Juliet, a second year Slytherin said.

"No-no, it is good challenges for reflex. You must not only be quick, vut sharp. Dat is vhy Durmstrang produce so many world class Quidditch players," he said.

"I don't know," Aurelius said from the door, everyone looking up. "I bet the cavern is not much different than playing in Aviation Park. Hogwarts has had its share of players too, including Madame Brittle. And am I not right in thinking Rolanda Archibald came from Hogwarts as well?"

"Ah, vell if it isn't my little friend!" Eigil said in a humorous tone, but there was something about his smile that told Aurelius his input was hardly welcome. "Do you play den?"

"I'm Slytherin Keeper," Aurelius said evenly.

"A Keeper?" he said incredulously, his shoulders moving once in a half chuckle of disbelief. "Vell, ve'll just see if your mout' is bigger dan the rest of you, eh?"

Aurelius matched the other boy's unfriendly smile with a grin of pure dislike before finally moving down the corridor. He finally found Alicia and Andrew sitting on either side of Halbert, petting the slimy-looking creature on his lap. With a huff, Aurelius sat down across from them and eyed what appeared at first to be a bullfrog with strange white lumps on its back. But then the creature stretched and Aurelius blinked, sitting up straight.

"What the blazes? What in the world would a toad need wings for?" Aurelius asked in surprise.

"He's a type of Aerophibian," Halbert beamed. "His name is Jacques. And he can snap seven flies with one blow! What do you think of that?" Aurelius let the look on his face speak for itself.

"I think he's adorable!" Alicia declared, getting out her sketchpad. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all," Halbert beamed.

Aurelius spent the rest of the trip gazing out the window, lost in his thoughts about his friends while Halbert chatted on about his father's creatures to his brother and sister. He hadn't expected to ride the train with them, and the more he thought of it, the more disturbing it was. The other students had been quiet at the end of the year when he had come back but had been obviously glad to see him, accepting the fact that his expulsion had been some sort of misunderstanding. But it was the events surrounding his short stay at the Malfoy Mansion that earned him the most critical looks. Many of their parents worked for him or one of his companies, and the fact those jobs were now in jeopardy gave many a reason to have an open grudge for a Slytherin who could turn on one of their own… no matter how many generations removed from school Malfoy was.

As they stepped off the train tired and glad to have arrived, Aurelius heard Xavier's voice and saw him waving him over. Xavier quickly said goodbye to Alex and watch as she went to join Mandria and Rose in the coaches.

"Over here, Aurelius. I arranged a special coach," Xavier winked, leading him over to the wide plush coach and entering right after him, closing the door. "It's technically for seventh years, but I thought this year the Tiebreakers deserved a bit of special treatment after last year's win. And we'll do it again," he added, leaning his arm on the polished wooden backboard as he looked over at them with a determined smile. "I don't plan my year as Head Boy to be anything less than a success. And Aurelius?"

"Yes?"

"Don't get expelled this year," Xavier said. Some of the other students smirked at him. "I am personally going to be dogging you to make sure you're not only pulling your weight, but exceeding it. Don't disappoint me." His face was so serious that Aurelius couldn't do anything but nod. Xavier nodded in return. "Anyone as conniving as you are should work with us, not against us. And personally, I pity the student who tries to work against his house."

"Have I ever done so?" Aurelius asked in a challenging tone. The others gazed at him critically. "Have I truly ever not pulled my weight as a Tiebreaker? Even if my record is anything but spotless, have I not gone out of my way to make the points up and then some?"

"What I want from you this year is a spotless record," Xavier said in a firm voice. "Nothing less is acceptable from you as far as I'm concerned. Do you understand me? I won't bring it up again, but I want you to know that I will hold you completely accountable for any deductions you might incur whether it was 'you' who caused the trouble or someone you associate with. Have I made myself clear?"

"Quite clear," Aurelius muttered.

"Good," Xavier said, turning his attention to the window as the coaches began to slow.

The first years kept well away from Eigil Hauk as they approached the main table, the towering new fifth year surveying the staff with curious and calculating eyes. His gaze lingered on Jennifer when he noticed that she was looking at him with open curiosity, her eyes boring through him in a very strange way that put him on edge. She glanced away then, immediately intent on the words of the teacher next to her whose shoulder-length hair was as black as his robes and his expression quite unreadable as he murmured something to her in a low voice. But then he was distracted as the bearded man on the other side of him stood, the Headmaster's eyes bright and smile cheerful as he looked out onto the students.

"Welcome all, both new and not so new!" said Albus Dumbledore. "It is going to be an exciting year full of lots of exciting changes, and I hope you are all looking forward to it. As you all know, I have a new assistant, Deputy Headmaster Hermione Weasley of Charms, who is also our new head of Gryffindor house," he said, gesturing to the woman standing in front of them with a Hat in her hand. A smattering of applause came from the Gryffindor table. "Also joining us is our new Transfiguration teacher, Professor Earham Singh. We are glad to have you on staff, and are looking forward to getting to know you better in the months to come."

Sitting on the other side of the empty chair to Dumbledore's right, a dark man of slight build and medium height stood. He wore tailored robes of red and black and a black tie, but despite his otherwise neat appearance his dark brown hair was thick and slightly unruly. He smiled softly and gave a short bow to the students and then sat back down again. Afterwards, Professor Weasley stepped up and began calling the first years off of a long list. Eigil watched with mild interest as one by one each was sorted into a different house, each house clapping respectively. Finally she rolled up the list and smiled at him, calling his name and gesturing to the stool.

He frowned at the stool; it was hardly made for someone of his height, reluctantly sitting on it and looking out as if daring anyone to laugh. But the Hat didn't stay on his head long. In fact, after sitting on his head for a moment it suddenly gave a strange leap as if desperately trying to get off of it.

"Slytherin!" The Hat said, and applause broke out enthusiastically at the Slytherin table. But Eigil's quick eyes spotted one student that hadn't clapped. Aurelius sat with his arms folded, not looking happy at all about the new addition. Eigil strode over on the other side of where he was sitting, silently waiting for everyone to move over to make him a spot. Xavier, sitting next to Aurelius, merely waved his hand as if to ask him to sit and the entire line scooted over to allow Eigil to sit across from him.

"Impressive," Eigil said, nodding to Xavier as Dumbledore started the feast. "I vas under the impression from vut I heard at Durmstrang certain disciplines vere very lax here."

"You won't find any semblance of discipline at any other table but this one, I assure you," Xavier told him. "You will quickly find we have standards the others do not. After the meal that will be made clearer to you. We start out the first night with a meeting to size up the new housemates and discuss our goals for the year."

"Do you? Perhaps I vill feel at home here after all," Eigil decided with a thin smile. "Tell me, who is dat teacher dere? She is quite… somet'ing."

"Oh, that's Professor Craw." Xavier stated.

"My mother," Aurelius added sharply. Eigil turned to look at him in surprise.

"Vell, nobody's perfect," Eigil said in a tone that made Aurelius dislike him more than ever. Several seats down, Hephaestus smirked.

"Professor Snape… her husband, of course, to her right between she and Dumbledore… is the advisor to our house so you'll be seeing quite a bit of him. He's the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"And vut does she teach?"

"Potions," Xavier said.

"Ah! That explains a lot," Eigil said. Aurelius' face darkened. In fact the glare became so murderous that Xavier couldn't possibly let it go.

"Something bothering you, Rel?" he asked.

"Nothing, just no appetite tonight," Aurelius said, putting down his fork.

"Good, then you wouldn't mind running ahead and making sure the rooms are ready for the meeting," Xavier said smoothly. Sighing, Aurelius excused himself.

"What do you suppose is wrong with Rel?" Alex asked when she saw him get up. Mandria immediately let out a protest.

"I am not spending the entire year following your siblings again, Alex!" she said firmly.

"No, no, I have no intention of it, really," Alex reassured her. "There won't be any reason to. I told you we've all made up over the summer, everything's all right now. But something's bothering him. I'm sure though we'll find out what it is after lunch tomorrow. Anyhow, what do you think of our new Transfiguration teacher?"

"I don't know. I don't suppose I will until we have him," Mandria said with a shrug. "But I don't like how Dumbledore said there was going to be a lot of changes this year. I get the feeling he didn't just mean the change in staff."

"Well, we'll be finding out soon enough," Alex said, eating quite heartily before the two of them headed to their rooms.

Professor Icarus Ravenclaw was there in the common room to greet them, chatting with quite a number of the students before turning to Alex and smiling warmly at her.

"Good evening, Alexandria! Big year this year, isn't it, OWLS and all? Have you decided what field to specialize in yet?"

"No, Professor," Alex admitted.

"Well, I'm sure it will come to you. In fact, I can guarantee it," the Divination Professor winked at her before moving on to meet the first years.

"I suppose you've got it all worked out?" Alex said wistfully to her friend as they sat down.

"Well, my mother wants me to getting into teaching primary, of course. I think Father would like nothing better if I got into medicine, but you know how I feel about Herbology. If it wasn't for Rose, I doubt I'd have stuck with it," Mandria admitted.

"Yes, but what do you want to do?" Alex asked.

"I don't know. I guess I haven't figured it out yet," she admitted. "What do your parents want you to do?"

"Do you know, I've never even asked them." Alex realized with surprise. "Is that normal?"

"Alex, nothing about you is normal," Mandria said with a grin that plainly showed she meant no offense. But just then there was some excitement as Professor Craw came in, the students eagerly gathering around.

"Congratulate me! I was actually able to get my work done in time this year so you won't have to wait until breakfast to get your schedules!" Jennifer chuckled, sifting through them in a haphazard attempt to put them in some sort of order. "Iris, here take half of these! I'm not about to keep you up all night doing this, although I suspect some of you will be anyhow… hello, Rebecca," she said, smiling at one of the new students and handing her a schedule.

Alex hovered back until her name was called and took her schedule without even looking at it, lingering near her mother who was absorbed in finishing her stack before finally noticing her.

"Can I talk to you a moment?" she asked. Jennifer sighed, shaking her head in such a way that Alex wondered if she had missed anything as her mother pulled her over near the door.

"All right, Alex. Let's hear it," Jennifer said. Alex blinked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Jennifer blinked at her.

"This isn't about your schedule?"

"No, I haven't really looked at it," Alex admitted.

"Oh!" Jennifer said with surprise, becoming quite attentive. "I'm sorry, what did you want?"

"Well, I was just wondering what it was that you wanted me to become…like what career," Alex said. Jennifer stared at her. "I mean, most parents have aspirations for their children, don't they? They all have hopes of professions and all…"

"Oh, no you don't! Alexandria, I am not about to pick your road for you," Jennifer said, opening the door.

"No, really! I'm not asking you to! I'm just asking your opinion. Surely when we were little you must have hopes of what we might grow up to be!" Alex pressed.

"What I hoped was to see you all in Hogwarts, and now that you are here, all I want is to see you all making it through Hogwarts in one piece and become model citizens without scarring either family name too much. Other than that, I suggest that you pick something that you feel strongly about that you feel you can make a contribution to."

"But that could be so many things!" Alex protested.

"Goodnight, Alex," Jennifer smiled at her, closing the door. Alex let out a loud exasperated sigh, glancing out her schedule. It was then that she finally noticed that her first class, just after breakfast was double Defense… paired with Slytherin.

"Mother!"Alex wailed. If Jennifer heard it, she made no attempt to return to answer it.


	9. A Secret is Exposed

Chapter Nine

A Secret is Exposed

Aurelius was privately relieved that Stock didn't want to hold a grudge with him any more than he wanted to estrange Heph. He chatted merrily between the two the next morning about the meeting the night before and the upcoming classes, skirting away from the topic of Eigil when he noticed that Aurelius had an open dislike for him. Heph, however, had no qualms about talking about the new classmate. In fact, despite sitting next to them at breakfast the next morning, he hardly spoke of anything else but Hauk.

"I hear he was a Beater at Durmstrang," Heph said, Aurelius looking more annoyed by the minute. "Too bad our team doesn't have any openings this year. I bet he's quite good."

"Well, yes, but so are we," Stock put in. "And he can't expect to come in here and take over things, fifth year or not. I noticed Xavier was quick to put him in his place at the meeting."

"Xavier just doesn't want the competition," Heph said.

"He shouldn't have to have competition," Aurelius put in, poking at his eggs. "Xavier worked hard to get where he is. He's not likely to let some overgrown oaf who can't even speak proper English steal his moment, do you?"

"Eigil knows four languages. What about you?" Heph challenged him.

"I know enough French to get by on, and a little Gaelic," Aurelius said.

"Yes, but I bet you would sound a bit funny to people if you were in France, wouldn't you?" Heph said. Aurelius stared at him.

"Why are you sticking up for him? He's a complete stranger to us," Aurelius said. Stock's sudden coughing fit including one that sounded rather suspiciously like the word 'money.' "Ah, I should have known."

"Hey!" Heph said with irritation, glaring at Stock accusingly.

"Well, I need to go. Time for Defense," Aurelius said, getting up. "I promised Alex and the others I'd meet them after lunch so I'll see you in History."

"Hey, you're still going to help us with our Defense homework this year, aren't you?"

"If you pay me," Aurelius said expressionlessly as he picked up his books and started out of the room. Heph shook his head, turning to Stock.

"He's just not the same old Rel anymore, is he?" Heph said. Stock looked thoughtful but didn't say anything, turning back to his breakfast.

Many of the fifth years had already begun to gather by the time Aurelius had gotten to class. He allowed himself a momentary feeling of satisfaction when Eigil stared at him, consulting one of the other fifth years, Terrance Bane, who was sitting in front of them. He turned to gaze back at Aurelius with open disapproval, watching as Aurelius counted chairs to make sure he was in the right spot before sitting down.

"I see da class has a pet," Eigil said with some humor.

"Professor Snape has a very strict policy about students speaking before class," Aurelius said evenly. "I suggest if you want to start off on the right foot you might want to get ready and face forward."

"I don't need advice from you little man," Eigil snapped at him.

"Suit yourself," Aurelius said unconcernedly then turned to his book. "But don't be surprised if Xavier's not happy for you tanking our points on the first day."

"Rel, you know Snape doesn't deduct his own for things like that," Bane said, rolling his eyes. "It's them who's got to worry," he added, jerking a thumb over to the Ravenclaw side of the room. Those waiting there glared at him, their mouths clamped firmly shut. "Especially since they've got the biggest mouth in school working against them."

"Ah? Vich one?" Eigil asked curiously, and Bane looked around then turned smug as everyone heard a pair of voices coming down the hall.

"That one," Bane grinned, pointing him towards the door as Alex and Mandria entered. Eigil stood in surprise, taken aback by the auburn-haired girl that walked in.

"I thought that I was never going to get my hands back in one piece after all of that scrubbing! I swear that my grandfather is every bit as sinister as everyone makes him out to be! I mean, he could have shown a bit of gratitude considering we were trying to…"

"Alex!" Aurelius said, completely horrified about the conversation she had so casually come in talking about. But the true significance of what true damage her chattering had done didn't strike Aurelius until a moment later when she passed Eigil and he said something in another language, his face awestruck.

"Oh! Um, yes, I do know a little," Alex said, smiling wanly at him and holding her fingers barely apart in demonstration before she quickly headed towards her desk. He said something else, and as the class looked between them curiously, Aurelius eyes widened farther and farther, all of the color draining out of his face as he watched the exchange. "Thank you," Alex said, clearing her throat. "But I'm spoken for, actually."

"What did he say to you?" Aurelius asked with frustration. It was then that Alex finally realized her dilemma, noticing that the eyes of everyone in the class were on her. They were still in that position when Snape walked in the door, stopping short when he saw the exchange. Quickly Alex recovered and sat down, immediately folding her hands over her book while the rest of the class hurried to face forward. Eigil, still standing, looked behind him to see the Professor eyeing him warily.

"In your seat, Mr. Hauk," Snape said, glancing at Alex before striding towards his desk. "I note that your fellow students didn't have either the courtesy or good sense to warn you that I expect everyone in their seats and waiting when I arrive…with the exception of any situation that would not be in your best defense to do so…for a list of the exceptions, see the corkboard by the door. Miss Snape, you were not in your seat when I entered. No, don't bother to explain I don't want to hear excuses," he snapped when she opened her mouth. "Furthermore, I am not going to have you starting off this school year prattling and whispering to your housemates like you usually do. You will be losing five points every time you open your mouth today. Is that quite clear?" Alex began to say something but stopped herself, nodding. "Good. And I will see you after class," he added, going up to the board. Aurelius let out his breath then, suddenly realizing he had been holding it. So Snape had managed to diffuse the situation, but there could be little doubt that it would not last forever.

Andrew Albus Snape had quite a few striking qualities that set him apart from his siblings. He had a tall, lanky, almost scarecrow build due to growth spurts that could be gauged in inches in short months, the hook nose he had inherited from his father awkwardly planted upon his long narrow face which he had yet to 'grow into,' and thin straw hair that seemed to have little to do with either parent at all. His nature was quiet which was most un-Snapelike and un-Crawlike indeed; but it served to help him blend in as a part of the scenery instead of an active player in any given intrigue. And, most especially, he had a thirst for knowledge for the sake of knowledge itself. Yes, it was true that Alexandria also had a zest for finding things out, but hers were out of a willingness to act upon them. Aurelius also gathered information at will, but the direction was determined quite notably on things that were geared on setting him 'ahead' of his peers. To Alicia, the quest for knowledge was more refined; she dutifully and enthusiastically tackled her schoolwork for a well-rounded education, but all else was devoted to her work as an artist. Only Andrew of the four strove to know things just to know them whether it be of scholarly interest or worldly, without making any conclusions except that the knowledge existed.

And it was he who was the first to set his eyes upon the latest copy of the Daily Prophet at lunch, the other three too busy talking to their housemates about their first morning to consider to get into anything else but school yet. He furrowed his brow at the front page for so long that his best friend, Halbert, finally finished his second helping to look over at his friend.

"What is it? Something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm not really sure yet, actually. Possibly," Andrew said, gnawing at a chicken bone distractedly as he looked at it. "It seems that Gringotts has discovered a discrepancy in their records and have finally realized that the entry by Cutmite… he's the goblin who was murdered… was a forgery."

"But that's good, yes? That means they will finally be getting down to the bottom of what happened," Halbert said.

"Yes, but not without them asking some awkward questions," Andrew said, putting his napkin on his tray and getting up. "I'd better head out to see the others."

In the courtyard, Aurelius and Alex took turns pacing, while Alicia watched them from where she sat on the edge of a small fountain, hugging her legs to her.

"Oh, so you've heard, I see," Andrew said. Aurelius and Alex looked up in surprise.

"We haven't heard anything," Aurelius snapped, "but whatever you've heard I'm quite sure isn't as damning as what we've just been through."

"Oh? Go on," Andrew said, looking between them.

"Eigil Hauk's native language isn't English," Aurelius said.

"I didn't think it would be, considering that he's from… oh no." Andrew said as realization sunk in.

"And I walked right into it!" Alex said, looking as if she would kick herself. "Really, what could I have done?"

"Kept your mouth shut, perhaps?" Aurelius snapped.

"Rel, be reasonable. She can't be expected to keep herself quiet all year round. This is bound to come out," Alicia said.

"But if we don't control the way it comes out, it can jeopardize the rest of our secrets," Rel said. "You know in the Pact they're all tied together. If one goes, the others will surely begin to fall as well."

"Surely not! They can hardly link our abilities to anything simply based on the fact that our sister understands things," Alicia said.

"But they may wonder if the rest of us have any unusual talents as well, Alicia," Aurelius said. Andrew sighed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Aurelius. Alicia, I think Rel's right in that this can't be hidden much longer, but considering what's happened, I think it coming out right now would be a very bad thing."

"Ugh! I can't stand it anymore! Tell us what's happened!" Alex said, and Andrew held over the paper to Aurelius.

"You're right, this may be trouble," Aurelius agreed after they all caught up on the article.

"Why? What does it have to do with us?" Alex said.

"Use your brains, Alex. They may suspect us…worse, they may suspect grandfather. After all, he's a convicted murderer on parole. It'd be only natural to think he'd have something to do with it. If you were Thurspire, and you found out that we were present when a goblin disappeared, and then all the sudden it looks as if someone forged our names to put us 'out of the scene of the crime' when it happened, as it were, wouldn't you wonder if Grandfather had something to do with it?"

"What, with the four of us standing there, looking on?" Alex said.

"Not to mention the other obvious question. If we left, how come the mining cart hadn't moved outside?" Aurelius said. "Since we didn't take it, I bet it was still sitting there when we took the other route."

"You're right!" Alex said with alarm. "Oh, no! Why didn't we see it before?"

"We were in a bit of a hurry to get out of there. Even I couldn't think of all the consequences of our actions at the time," Aurelius sighed, pacing. "They'll question Grandfather, there can no be doubt of that, and most likely they'll come after us soon after," he finished, stopping and glancing at his watch. "We need to tell Snape what's going on. This is going to blow up in our faces if I'm not mistaken."

"What? Just like that? Wait a minute, I want a vote!" Alex protested as the others hurried inside behind Aurelius. "I thought we promised grandfather we wouldn't tell them about this!"

"We're not. We're telling Snape," Aurelius murmured as they entered the corridor. "We should have just enough time to brief him before our next class."

"But didn't he have lunch with Mum?" Alex hissed as they entered the classroom.

"Don't worry. It's usually safe at lunchtime, Alex," Andrew said. "It's dinner you have to worry about."

"What? That's not what I meant!" Alex said, her face reddening a bit.

"What are you talking about?" Alicia asked curiously.

"Never mind," Aurelius said, knocking on the door. A moment later it opened and Jennifer stared at surprise at the four of them.

"Oh, no, what have you done now?" Jennifer asked. But Aurelius merely excused himself and walked passed her, Severus looking at them questioningly.

"Sorry, Professor Snape, but there's something that's come up that we need to speak to you about immediately. Lestrade may have caught on to a Pinkerton," Aurelius said. Jennifer squinted at him, but his back was turned to her.

"Then you'd best stay and be out with it. Professor Craw, close the door."

"We'd prefer to keep this a non-family, sir," Aurelius said insistently.

"Understood, Aurelius, which is why Professor Craw is the one staying," Snape said firmly. Craw smiled slightly at him as she closed the door, while the other four looked at each other unsurely. "I need not remind you if Miss Alex Snape is involved, it is her right as her advisor to observe if it is treated as a school affair. Of course as head of security, I can overrule her if this is as I suspect a security issue."

"Very well, Professor," Aurelius sighed, knowing better than to argue. "It's about the incident you may have seen about the goblin disappearance in Gringotts. We think he might have been murdered."

"And how do you know this?" Snape asked, shifting his eyes between them.

"Well, we there when it happened. It occurred just outside the Craw vault."

"What?" Jennifer said in complete horror, but Snape put up a hand.

"Save it, Professor," he warned in a low voice. "Just how did you get into the vault, Mr. Snape? From what I understand your mother is the only one with the key."

"Grandfather said he borrowed it just before she left. We didn't ask how," Aurelius admitted, trying to keep from looking at Craw who was obviously seething. "He was looking for an ornate book-sized box and he employed us to help him look."

"In that pile of dark heirlooms?" Jennifer said in disbelief. Snape gave her a dirty look that subdued her again, but her expression was grim.

"We took quite a number of precautions and stayed away from certain items that he pointed out to us," Aurelius said, although it was obvious Craw was not reassured by that. "Anyhow, we had been in there for some time when we heard a noise outside, and then a whispering voice spoke out and the door slammed shut."

"A voice?" Snape asked evenly.

"Yes," Andrew said when Aurelius glanced at him. "It said, 'The secret will die with you.'" Snape squinted. "Of course, none of us have any idea what it was talking about."

"Did your grandfather give you any indication that he knew?"

"I couldn't get anything out of him," Aurelius said. "He shut himself up in his room the moment we got out."

"Wait a moment, how did you get out?" Snape asked, but the expression on his face indicated he already guessed, glancing at Alicia.

"We scouted ahead first," Andrew quickly put in. "I went upstairs to see if anyone had noticed things were amiss. That's when I overheard Griphook talking and found out that somehow they thought we were gone already. So, that's when we decided to take Alicia's route. Grandfather asked us to lay low after that."

"Only now it seems they've discovered that the entry in the book writing us as gone is a forgery," Aurelius said, handing him the paper. "And if so, they'll wonder how we got out."

"What a foolish thing to do! What were you thinking using that route when you knew that sooner or later someone would detect you?" Severus said in annoyance. "Especially you, Aurelius, you know better."

"Well, we couldn't just stay in there! Look how long it would have taken to discover we were gone!" Aurelius said.

"Did it ever occur to you that instead of sending Andrew to the bank you should have sent him to Hogwarts to get me?" Snape snapped and Aurelius became quite subdued. "I could have easily given some sort of inquiry as to where the five of you were without you having to betray yourselves by waltzing out 'undetected.'"

"Well in our defense, Grandfather didn't think of it either," Alex said, earning a dirty look from Aurelius.

"Yes, and I hope you realize just how much danger you not only put your Pact in, but put your grandfather in as well," Snape said, getting up to pace. "They will most assuredly go to him first, but what story would he tell? Most probably, being that he cannot use magic himself, he would have said that the door had been left ajar, that he didn't know what happened to the guard, and that you took the cart out."

"But there was a cart still at the vault door he was last seen at, the paper says," Andrew said.

"In which case, he would feign ignorance as to why that was," Snape said, frowning at him. "It is truly the only excuse he could have come up with without betraying you four."

"I'm sure Dad wouldn't have done that," Jennifer said. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to kill him for this."

"Later, perhaps. Right now, it is more important to minimize the damage," Snape said, glancing at his watch.

"But Professor Snape, won't corroborating this be letting the person who did this to us get cleanly away? They can't solve anything to the goblin's death if we don't tell them exactly what happened…" Alex said.

"Miss Snape, I suggest you let me-"

"Us," Jennifer interrupted quickly.

"Fine, I suggest you let us worry about that problem. In the meantime, you all have classes to get to and so do we," Severus said, dismissing them. "And Alex, don't forget my warning. Avoid Eigil Hauk until I say otherwise."

"Yes, Professor," Alex agreed as the four of them left. Severus closed the door behind them, gazing over his wife. Apparently, it was her turn to start pacing.

"Not bad, I suppose, at your first attempt at impartiality," Severus said evenly, ignoring the look he got in return. "Might I suggest, however, that you work on only mental outbursts instead of actually saying them?"

"I knew leaving them alone with my father was a mistake!" Jennifer growled, still pacing. "What was the bit about Lestrade?"

"It was merely a code phrase to privately inform me that the subject had to do with the fact that Thurspire might be in position to discover more about my 'agents' than we want him to," Severus explained, going back to his desk to grab his papers for the next class.

"Well personally I think Lestrade was a better detective than that," Jennifer said folding her arms and glancing over at her husband to see a slight smile play across his face. "Well what is that for?"

"They came to us, Jennifer. Perhaps not without reluctance, but they did so."

"They didn't come to us, they came to Professor Snape," Jennifer said irritably. "I just happened to be there. Alex wouldn't have come to me even if I am her advisor."

"Still, I would count it as progress," Severus said. "Strange that the very thing that gets in our way so often… our professionalism… seems to be the very thing finally hitting home with them." Jennifer gazed at him thoughtfully. "Time's up, back to the grind."

"First years next, eh?" Jennifer teased wickedly.

"As a matter of fact," Severus said. "So prepare for the scream."

Several doors down, Professor Singh jumped sky high when the wailing came a moment after his class started, whipping his wand around while taking a catlike defensive position, his dark eyes sparkling. Beside Alex, Mandria sniggered softly as did some of the Gryffindor boys beside them.

"Is such a thing a normal occurrence in this facility?" the professor asked. He had a somewhat high but smooth, lilting voice, and quite sincere.

"I've heard worse noises coming from Professor Snape's classroom," Ted Gaffney said, and several of the others chuckled at that.

"Ah yes, Defense, of course," Singh said, quickly stowing away his wand with a smile. "As you probably heard last evening, my name is Professor Singh, and this is the study of Transfiguration. I understand that the former professor was here a great many years, so I am sure it may take a while for us to get used to each other. Let's introduce ourselves before we get started."

"I am Earham Singh, I have lived abroad most of my life with my British mother and Indian father whom are noted cultural anthropologists, until later years where I have been teaching metaphysics in a private British college. I am the first wizard in my family in two generations, although I am told that my grandmother on my mother's side was a witch and we have always traveled in wizard circles. I did not have the advantage of a magic school as you do so I do not have a regular Alma Mater. Instead, I had a tutor who taught both magic studies and classic until I began college at Cambridge. Now, who is next?"

One by one the students spoke up, and Alex beamed with anticipation. Even Mandria looked interested in the man's methods of relaxing the class, and it didn't take long to realize just how thoroughly everyone began to warm up to the verbose but calm nature of this new instructor. At last it was Mandria's turn, and Alex cheered her best friend on as she stood up beside her.

"I'm Mandria Shea, my parents are both in education as many already know here. My favorite subject is Charms, but I'm not sure what studies I'm going into yet," she admitted, and several students that had answered the same way chuckled a bit as she sat down. He smiled at her and nodded to Alex who stood up.

"I'm Alexandria Snape, and everyone knows my parents," she said. Quite a few students chuckled, even though Professor Singh was smiling at her oddly. "My favorite subject is Advanced Muggle Studies, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet either, but I know it's not going to be teaching."

Everyone laughed again, but Singh looked rather puzzled, both at the classes reaction then over at Alex.

"I see you have a very impressive dialect of Hindustani, Miss Snape. But perhaps for the sake of the rest you might repeat it in English?" he smiled at her. The class looked at each other with baffled faces, and he looked at their reactions with equal bewilderment while Alex's face got paler by the minute, wondering why her parents hadn't warned them.

"She did speak in English, sir," Ted Gaffney spoke up. "I don't believe she knows Hindustani."

"How very peculiar! But then you are playing a joke on me, aren't you? And you are all in on it, yes? A joke on the new professor, of course," he reasoned with a smile. "Tell me, Miss Snape, where did you learn to speak like that?"

"Oh boy," Alex murmured under her breath. This was not going to be easy.


	10. Out of the Black

Chapter Ten

Out of the Black

It was early that next morning when Zacchius Black finally made his appearance at the school, nearly elated at having the privilege of coming a day late as his parents had gotten delayed in the States. He would make a solitary entrance into the school this time with his sister gone and everyone else already settled. He pulled out his robe which he had been carrying wadded in a ball under his arm since his father dropped him off, threw the wrinkled cloth over his printed surf shop t-shirt and his black jeans, and slung his Gryffindor tie around his neck, quickly buttoning his robe with a spell. Then the second year strode into the school, combing his hair back with his fingers, grinning ear to ear as he walked into the Great Hall.

He was expecting some calls from his cousins and all of his friends at his entrance, and even, he thought with delight, the groans of his upper housemates. But when he went inside, he was instantly aware that some sort of pandemonium had taken a hold of his fellow Gryffindors…in fact, all the tables seemed to be chatting excitedly.

"An Omnivox, that's what they said! Can you believe it?" It was murmured over and over again, and Zack sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing then what must have happened. At last in the chaos he heard his name called at the Hufflepuff table where Alicia waved him over, hugging him warmly.

"It is so good to see you! I was worried when you weren't here yesterday! And you're so tan!" she said enthusiastically.

"Zoë and I spent most of the summer on the beach," Zack grinned.

"Alicia!" The two looked up to see Morfinn approach with a large book. "Oh, hi, Zack. Did you know Alex was an Omnivox?"

"Of course I did! I'm her cousin!" Zack said in annoyance.

"Oh right, I forgot," Morfinn said.

"Hullo, Zack!" Andrew said, coming to stand beside him. "Got here okay, I see."

"Well, I'm glad you two have noticed. It seems all anyone around here is concerned with is your sister. What's the big deal? So she can understand other languages."

"Not just other languages," Morfinn said excited. "All languages! Animals too! And she can read anything too! It's an absolutely fascinating anomaly."

"Must you call it an anomaly?" Alicia said irritably.

"Well, that's what it is, technically, it's an anomaly from what we would consider normal regular talents," Morfinn explained, turning to his medical book. "Some anomalies happen because of circumstances before we are born or when we're very young. Some are caused by heredity. In this case, it's both. 'It is a rare magical talent that occurs when one or both parents have a strong telepathic ability. The raw telepathic talent within the child manifests in this way in certain cases where the child has an unusual level of curiosity and intelligence. Before they have the capacity for speech, they subconsciously begin to bend their ability towards understanding the world around them, thus fine tuning it into the anomaly.'"

"That sounds like Alex, all right," Zack admitted. "She sticks her nose into everything."

"What other talents are in there?" Andrew said with growing interest. "Is Parselmouth caused by telepathy too?"

"Well, let's look it up," Morfinn said cheerfully as the people around the table suddenly took interest in his medical studies. "I love this book, it's part of the medical library I picked up over the summer. I always feel better when looking at medical books. Don't know why… ah here it is. Parselmouth. 'There is much debate over whether Parselmouth is an actual anomaly, or if it is merely a rare side effect from one of a handful of defense related anomalies; triggered by a traumatic event which causes a dramatic change in blood pressure and temperature for a short period of time. Some specialists theorize that an uncommon blood makeup, sometimes found in families with dark fae descent, must also be present for the condition to occur, explaining for the rarity of the condition. However, this theory has never been proven due to lack of data.' That's because it's so rare, you see. Hey, I don't suppose your brother would be open to the idea of an experiment or two?"

"No," Alicia and Andrew said at once. Morfinn pouted.

"Hey, what's the book say about, oh I don't know, someone who can turn invisible at will?" Zack asked, immediately getting a dirty look from both Alicia and Andrew.

"You know someone who can turn invisible at will?" Morfinn asked, wide-eyed.

"Nah, but I thought it'd be fun to look up," Zack said casually. "Maybe some sort of life-changing traumatic event could make me that way."

"I seriously doubt that," Alicia said, frowning at him.

"Let's see, Invisibility… there's permanent, spontaneous, and controllable."

"Controllable," Zack suggested quickly, peering over at the book.

"'Like spontaneous invisibility, controllable invisibility is an anomaly that can sometimes occur in a child when the parents were both in a state of invisibility at the time of conception…"

"What?" Andrew said, trying to pull the book over. Alicia, who had just taken a drink of pumpkin juice had to quickly cover her nose.

"I'm not done yet!" Morfinn protested, pulling it back over. "'Unlike spontaneous invisibility, the child is born visible, and the anomaly usually does not manifest itself until some event occurs that prompts the child with a strong will to hide, and then by the same method, will themselves out of hiding.' There, now I'm done."

"Well, I don't know about you, but I got more information out of that then I needed to know," Zack said.

"How embarrassing. I mean, for whoever might have gotten stuck with that talent," Andrew said, rereading it. "You know… I think I'm going to um… skip breakfast. Yeah. Excuse me," he said, Zack sniggering again as he left then turning back around.

"Here, give me that, I want to look up something on my own," Zack said reaching out.

"No me! Please, Morfinn," Alicia said, grabbing a hold of the other end.

"It's my book!" Morfinn protested and closed it, holding it close. Suddenly he let out a sneeze powerful enough to back them both off in disgust as he took a handkerchief out of his collar to wipe his nose off.

"Mr. Black!" Zack looked up to see Professor Weasley standing there, looking him up and down disapprovingly. "What have you done to your robes?"

Zack peered down at his wrinkled uniform sheepishly, accepting the schedule from her hand. Sighing at him she took her wand out of belt, waving it in a circle towards the bottom of his robes.

"Conforme!" she intoned, and immediately the robe whipped straight and starched as if had just been pressed, then waved it towards his neck. "Conforme!" she said again, and his comfortable t-shirt suddenly became replaced with an uncomfortably crisp one, his tie tied much tighter than would normally ever wear. "There, much better. And I had better not see you in that sort of condition just before a class again. Now if only if it were so easy to conform you," she said with an amused smile. "Welcome back. I think I'll go warn the staff you've returned."

"Hey Morfinn, is there an anomaly listed for unprecedented disobedience?" Alicia asked mischievously.

"No, just magic anomalies here," Morfinn said, "nothing about the condition of just being a Black."

"I hope you run out of handkerchiefs," Zack said, loosening his tie before heading to the Gryffindor table.

Going to class just didn't seem the same without Zoë. His first class, History, was probably one of the most boring in his life. He didn't have anyone to heckle at his jokes because the other Gryffindors didn't seem to think it was very funny, even when they did understand his American references. Next came Transfiguration, but Zack wasn't much impressed by the new teacher. He tended to drone when explaining things, mostly reading straight out of the book instead of taking any initiative, and if it wasn't for the fact they had a simple practice lab turning their inkwells into candlesticks at the end of class he probably would have fallen asleep. At least in Herbology he was kept busy by digging up weeds around plants they had put in at the end of the year. Professor Sprout lectured them from a comfortable garden chair while they did all the work.

But finally, the last class of the day, Zacchius walked eagerly into Snape's classroom, but couldn't help but be a bit disappointed to find that they were paired with Slytherin instead of Hufflepuff like last year. He had been looking forward to having at least Alicia around, and Zack began to become truly annoyed about not having his normal friend base at his disposal.

"Why is that window open? It's so cold in here," Juliet complained from the front of the Slytherin side of the room, folding her arms over her chest.

"What's wrong, Juliet? Feeling a bit perky today?" Zack asked with an evil grin.

"Oh, God, who let you back in?" Juliet scowled at him. Her friend Chase sitting beside her scowled at him as well. "I thought after last year you'd both be banned from ever coming back."

"Sorry, Juliet, you can't get rid of me that easily," Zack said with a grin. "You know if you're that cold, I bet I can turn your bra into something warmer again…"

"Why you little…"

The banter was interrupted by a noise at the window, and the students quickly got into their seats as a large iron crane-like bird landed upon the sill. It lowered its bronze beak and turned its head to the side to eye the class before letting out an almost inquisitive caw.

Some of the Gryffindors watched the bird warily, remembering quite vividly what had happened last year when the bird's mother came to call on that classroom. Even Zacchius couldn't help but feel for his wand to make sure it was in easy reach. So it was that Professor Snape found them all silent and dutifully in their seats when he came in the room, squinting at Zack as he headed to his desk.

"I see Mr. Black finally decided to grace us with his presence," Snape sneered. "I trust you got my subsequent message about your makeup work yesterday?"

"I got it, sir, but sorry, I haven't gotten to it yet. I just got here this morning," Zack said evenly. "Professor Weasley did say I would have a few days grace period to get any work I missed done."

"Fine, you may turn it in late then," Snape said, smiling unpleasantly before turning to his desk. "Everyone get out a piece of paper, we are going to have a pop quiz on yesterday's material and the first chapter which you all should have read."

"What?" Zack said, staring at him.

"I gave you instructions on what to complete by today, Mr. Black. It was your responsibility to get it done so if you fail the test you've only yourself to blame," Snape told him.

If Zack had any misgivings on being more lenient on his uncle that year, it had ended in that moment, despite his father's warnings about it. Especially when Snape took the liberty of looking over his guesses at the end of class most of which were so off that he read them off to the class, one by one. Most of the class, especially the Slytherin students were roaring laughter by the end and Juliet gave Zack such a nasty, triumphant look that he would never forget.

"Now that we've all had our little laugh, I trust no one else will attempt to come unprepared to my class again. I will take no excuses whatsoever, I don't care if you were on your deathbed the day before. If you are well enough to enter this classroom the next day, you are well enough to be prepared," he said. "Now, turn to the next chapter so we can begin our look at woodland dark creatures. Pay attention!" he snapped when he saw Zack glaring at Juliet. "The life you save may well be your own."

It was in the last ten minutes of class while they were taking their notes the Professor Weasley came in, and Zack couldn't help but try and strain his ears to pick out what they were talking about.

"I wondered when he would show up," Snape said in a low voice. "I don't care how much of a hurry he's in. And as his advisor, I don't give permission for Aurelius to be pulled out any more than I will end my class early for his benefit."

"But they're only reading, couldn't they…"

"It's still on my time," Snape said curtly. "Thurspire can wait. And since I'm not going to interrupt Aurelius' class, I suggest you don't bother to interrupt Andrew."

"All right, Severus," Weasley said with a nod. "You have every right, of course."

As she headed for the door, Severus' gaze shifted the other pair of eyes on him.

"Black, eyes forward. Unless you really want to have two quizzes in the same day," he warned. Zack's pleading look to Weasley only earned him a sympathetic but also slightly amused smile as she exited, and Zack turned in annoyance back to the book without really seeing it. What on Earth had his cousins gotten to already? Did it have anything to do with Alex? The next ten minutes was interminable, and Snape was determined to wait an extra thirty seconds after the bell before finally dismissing them.

As Zack hung back in the corridor, pretending to glance over some of his notes, he watched Snape pass him and head towards the main stairwell. He began to wander that way as well, and then noticed his aunt walking with Alex and Alicia in the same direction.

"Hello, Alicia! Want to meet after dinner to study in the library?" Zack asked.

"I'm not sure that's going to be possible," Alicia said, glancing at back at two grim figures next to her. "I'll try to get there in time, though."

"Oh, all right, if there's something else you have to do," Zack said dejectedly.

"It's not that I don't want to, believe me," Alicia said.

"Alicia will meet you if she can, Zacchius," Jennifer agreed, nodding to Alicia. Waving to him, she joined them again as they headed up the stairs.

"One day. I miss one day and the whole world dares move on without me!" Zack said with exasperation. With only a brief stop at his room to drop off most of his books, Zack headed downstairs for dinner and straight over to where Halbert was sitting.

"Hello Zack! How was your first day back?" he asked politely.

"Yeah, how many points did you cost us this time, Zack?" Conner said from down the table. Rose and Stewart both eyed him intently.

"None yet," Zack said. "But don't hold your breath. I owe Snape one after today," he said, and the three seventh years passed each other worried looks. "But enough about that, what is up with the Snape juniors? I heard Thurspire was trying to pull them out of class. What did they do this time?"

"I do not know, Andrew didn't tell me," Halbert said, "but when Professor Weasley caught us right after class, he didn't seem surprised either."

"I haven't had much chance to talk to Alex yet this year, what with my schedule being how it is," Rose admitted. "We're supposed to meet tomorrow. I hope this doesn't have anything to do with her ability coming out."

"You knew about it?" Stewart said in surprise.

"Of course I did," Rose admitted. "It's really easy to figure out if you spend much time with her at all, she never did hide it well."

"I knew on the first day I met her," Halbert grinned. "But by then I had made friends with Andrew already, and I didn't mind keeping it quiet."

"Well, I still don't know what the big deal is about," Conner said. "So she can understand everyone, who cares? It's not like she ever stops talking long enough to actually listen to anyone but herself." There was a round of agreement across the table, and only Rose protested.

"I agree she does get excited about things, but she is a very good listener when she wants to be, and she's always been there for me. In fact, she was the very person who got me to open up when I didn't want to talk to anyone," Rose said.

"Oh, we remember that," Stewart grinned.

"The perpetual flower girl, too good to talk to anything that wasn't green and had thorns," Conner teased.

"Conner, that's the closet thing you've gotten to calling me Thorny in a year, and I swear Head Girl or not I will flatten you if you do," Rose warned him.

"Yep, you're right, you do have spunk now. I guess part of Alex's rubbed off," Stewart said.

"Alex had way too much spunk anyhow," Conner agreed.

"So Rose, you want to go to the first Hogsmeade trip with me? We can go double with Conner and Mandria, what do you say?" Stewart suggested.

"Um, maybe, I don't know. My schedule is so busy this year with my extra duties and all," Rose said.

"If you don't want to go with me just say so Rose," Stewart said in an even voice, "so I can have plenty of time to find someone else."

"You know, perhaps you should since I can't make plans yet, sorry," Rose said, smiling apologetically. Stewart nodded acceptingly, and Zack couldn't help but admire his composure at that. Whatever could be said, it was obvious that Stewart wanted no bad feelings between them any more than Rose did. But there was something about Rose that told Zack there was someone else.

"I can't wait to go to Hogsmeade! I have only been there once, and I didn't get to shop, really," Halbert said brightly, then remembered that Zack wasn't old enough to go yet. "Of course, that isn't for a few weeks yet. But perhaps I can pick you up some things?"

"That'd be great, Halbert," Zack said with a smile. It was good to know at least he didn't hold a grudge for losing all those points. "Want to go to the library and study? I'm supposed to meet Alicia there."

"I was supposed to meet Andrew there! It sounds like a good idea," he agreed companionably and the two of them left to secure a good table.

Fortunately, one was empty in a far corner, and by spreading their books out they were able to save plenty of seats when a few minutes later Andrew and Alicia came down and joined them. Eagerly the other two waited as they both thanked them and took out their own books.

"Well?" Zack said impatiently. "Aren't you going to tell us what happened? What did Thurspire want?"

"Minister Thurspire," Andrew corrected quietly. Zack snorted.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I call him that. But come clean, I want to hear what you four have been up to while I've been gone," he coaxed.

"Well, it's not us, exactly," Andrew said with a sigh, glancing around to make sure no one else was around. "Grandfather seems to have gotten into something with some old friends of his. Someone tried to get to us when were at Gringotts and the goblin that was guarding the door disappeared. Fortunately, we discovered the door of the vault was still ajar and was able to get out."

"Uh huh. Andrew, I didn't ask what you told Thurspire. I asked what really happened," Zack said impatiently.

"You are really annoyingly Black sometimes, you know that?" Andrew said seriously.

"Well what other joker is there to break up this full house of Snapes?" Zack said challengingly. "So lay it on us, Andrew."

Nodding to Alicia, the four of them gathered closer around. Just then, Boulderdash suddenly sat straight up and looked around as if jolted awake. Immediately he dashed out of the room, the student who had been waiting to check out a book staring after him in bewilderment.

"Wonder what's wrong with him?" Zack mused, the others shrugging unknowingly.


	11. The Corpse in the Closet

Chapter Eleven

The Corpse in the Closet

"Would you care to see her?" Alex asked in a flirtatious, almost challenging tone as she gazed back at Xavier.

"No need, I believe you," Xavier said with a smile, following her around the lake.

"Surely you're not one of those afraid of Unicorns?" Alex teased.

"No, I merely think it would be cross purposes to see yours," Xavier said chuckling, only half joking. "As if your father showing up no matter where we are isn't an effective enough deterrent."

"Him and that watch! It wouldn't be quite so bad if it wasn't for that compass!" she chuckled.

"I need to find a large magic magnet to put around your neck to foil his plans to keep you safe," Xavier said wickedly.

"And what makes you so sure I'd be willing to wear it?" Alex asked coyly. Just then she heard their names called, and looked up in the dim light to see her father and Librarian Boulderdash heading towards them. "Then again, why wouldn't I?" she muttered, stepping back a bit as they came over. But their grave faces were enough to startle her when they came forward.

"Mr. Platt, I've just received some rather disturbing news and I'm afraid we're going to need to escort you to Professor Dumbledore's office to discuss it," Boulderdash said.

"My Father?" Xavier asked sharply.

"No, Xavier, Cutmite," Boulderdash said in a low voice. Xavier shook his head.

"I don't recognize the name."

"I do. That's the goblin that took us down to the Craw vault," Alex said. "But what has this to do with Xavier?" Boulderdash glanced at Severus.

"She will know about it soon enough even if we don't say it in front of her," Severus reasoned, looking at them again. "It seems that Cutmite's corpse has been found…in Xavier's bedroom closet at home." Xavier stared at him. "We expect the Ministry will be sending someone at any time."

"You have got to be joking!" Xavier said completely taken aback. "But how did it get there?"

"I assume that's what the Ministry is going to want to know," Boulderdash said dryly.

"This is insane, whatever reason would Xavier have for doing such a thing?" Alex said.

"He's a Platt," Severus reminded her softly.

"Well, even if I was inclined to follow the Platt curse, I am not stupid enough to try to hide a body in my own bedroom closet," Xavier said in annoyance, turning to Boulderdash. "Surely you don't believe I would do something like that!"

"Of course not, son, but it's not about what we believe or even about what the Ministry believes," Boulderdash said. "It's about what's going to happen when the general goblin public hear about this."

"Oh no," Alex murmured, remembering what had happened a few years before. Were they on the verge of another political nightmare?

"He never came back to his rooms last night," Jocelyn, the other Slytherin prefect, said the next morning. "Professor Snape came by and said Xavier was sent home for a few days."

"A few days? I think years," Eigil said with a smirk. "Goblin slaughter is frowned on in this country I hear."

"There is nothing out there that'll convince me that Xavier Platt murdered that goblin in cold blood," Aurelius said hotly. "Xavier isn't afraid to take action, but he wouldn't do anything to provoke tensions between his family and the goblins, not to mention anything that would endanger my sister or me. Someone has set him up."

"Vun doesn't vant to t'ink his sister is dating a murderer," Eigil said.

"It's more about the fact that Xavier is our leader and he wouldn't do anything this year that would make a stain on this house," Aurelius said firmly. "I stand by Slytherin, Eigil, what do you stand by?" He laughed.

"That is very funny since I hear dat Aurelius stands by no vun. I do not take brave talk from somevun capable of casting illegal spells at vun's own brother, consented or not," he said. Aurelius turned back to his breakfast. "Und now who is in charge of Slytherin?"

"I am," Jocelyn said firmly, a dangerous spark in her eyes. "And I say we keep quiet until we hear something from Xavier. I have heard nothing yet of how this impacts his standing in the school and right now it's better if we just keep our noses clean and see what happens. Oh yes, and pound anyone who says anything negative about it."

"Now dat is something I can agree vit'," Eigil said with a nasty smile.

* * *

"He wouldn't do it! He wouldn't do anything to harm us!" Alex said when she met her friends under the Elf Willow for lunch. Both Rose and Mandria gazed at her sympathetically, trying to calm her down.

"Please try not to worry," Rose said, offering her an arm. "I heard Dumbledore himself left this morning to speak to the Ministry about it. And I'm sure Dumbledore doesn't believe it any more than we do."

"Yeah, Xavier may have his creepy moments, but a murderer?" Mandria said dubiously. "Clearly someone is attempting to take advantage of his family's history by planting the corpse on them. Even Thurspire isn't thick enough to miss that."

"I don't know, he can be awful thick," Alex said, and then noticed a half smile show up on Roses face. "What?"

"Just remembering something my Grandfather once said to mother. He said that Minister Thurspire was the most brilliant idiot he has ever met. Even the shakiest hammer will hit the nail true and straight every now and again."

"Well, let's just hope he doesn't miss this time then," Alex said ruefully. "The idea of putting any faith in Thurspire makes my stomach churn."

"Then put it in Dumbledore," Rose assured her. "I'm sure he won't let Xavier suffer for this."

It had been the Platt's House Elf, Torrid, that had discovered the corpse after detecting a strange scent from the room, immediately alerting the master of the house who contacted not only the Ministry but Gringotts as well.

"My son has strong convictions about goblins, none of which I agree with," Damon said to Thurspire. "But those convictions make it impossible for me to believe Xavier would do anything of the sort. If I had thought otherwise, I assure you that you would have never found the body," he added defiantly.

"I appreciate your candor," Thurspire said dryly.

"I would also like to point out the fact that no Platt in his right mind would step foot into Gringotts' Bank, and also that we are known on sight to each of them…"

"Damon, I truly do not believe that you have to worry. I seriously doubt the Minister believes that your son had anything to do with this," Dumbledore assured him.

"As a matter of fact, for once it seems quite unlikely, and hardly just for the reasons you pointed out, but because of the physical evidence involved," Thurspire said, opening the closet where the poor corpse had been stowed. A large dark stain covered the floor, and below it, a bloodstained goblin dagger lay partially laying upon a pair of boots. "The cadaver was standing upright, a gaping wound to the back, and yet the only stains upon the clothing is near the bottom hem. The corpse was old before it was ever put in here, preserved with dark magic. Notice too that the stains on the shoes don't correspond with the stains on the dagger, rather they're around the dagger, as if someone intentionally poured blood upon the bottom of the closet after the fact in attempt to hide just when the corpse was placed there. And the dagger is the sort more commonly used as a throwing weapon…thrown with such force that only someone trained in the weapon could have managed it."

"I'm afraid you'll have to take off that last tidbit as a reason it couldn't have been Xavier, Minister, the boy is well aware of how to use a goblin dagger," Boulderdash said.

"What of the blood stain, Thurspire? I understand that Auror Moody was the one to make the first observations, has he come back with any information on where that came from?" Dumbledore asked. Thurspire cleared his throat at the reminder that his observations had not completely been his own.

"He should be back at any time, Professor. But the point I wanted to make, Mr. Platt, is that your son is not under any direct suspicion and as far as I'm concerned and is free to go," Thurspire concluded. Xavier relaxed visibly. "You, on the other hand, would be well advised to stay close to home for the next few days."

"What?" Damon said, a flash in his eyes.

"After all, Damon, there are no signs of forceful entry, neither you nor your servants have offered any explanations how they got in despite the fact that this residence is nearly as guarded as the Malfoy Mansion. I hardly think that anyone could walk in here with a corpse without anyone knowing it then leave just as easily as they came," Thurspire said fixedly.

"Thurspire, you are a fool if you think that makes me a suspect. I told you before, I was at work at the time and have countless alibis, and what reason would I to report it if I had done it? Bah, you're not even worth speaking to on this. When is Auror Moody getting back?" Damon said impatiently.

"Even if the Ministry doesn't believe either of you did the deed, Damon, there is another problem," Boulderdash interceded. "My brother has informed me that word quite quickly spread in the goblin community, and I'm afraid regardless of what comes out of the press, their suspicions against you, however unfounded, will not go away anytime soon."

"Then my informing them was a mistake," Damon said angrily.

"No, I wouldn't say that," Boulderdash assured him. "I am merely stating that you and Xavier need to exhibit extra care until we get to the bottom of this."

"Perhaps I might suggest taking another residence for the meantime, at least until they are able to find out how they got in?" Dumbledore suggested.

"How? If you mean, with him in charge," Damon said, jabbing a thumb towards Thurspire, who merely gazed at him evenly. "I got too much work to do and I don't play coward for no one. Is my son free to go to school?'

"Yes, I believe we're…"

"Then take them go back and wrap things up so I can have my house back," Damon snapped. "Take the whole damn closet if you like, but get out."

"We will leave as soon we we're done and not before, Mr. Platt," Thurspire said firmly, earning a cold look before Damon stomped off again. Dumbledore nodded to Boulderdash, and he escorted Xavier towards the front room, chatting quietly with him.

"You can hardly blame Damon for being upset, Ederick. This family was just beginning to get past these issues, and here it is forced upon them again," Dumbledore said gently. "Come now, you really don't think he is responsible in any way trying to blame his son for this, do you?"

"No, but what I believe is secondary," Thurspire said. "I need evidence before I can discount anyone, Professor."

"Yes, I suppose you are right," Dumbledore sighed softly, his look becoming thoughtful.

Aurelius and Stock were playing chess in the common room when Xavier returned, looking up silently as did the rest of the house members present when he came in. Immediately he gestured to Jocelyn, and the two of them stepped to one side and got into a private discussion.

"That didn't take as long as I thought it would," Stock murmured over the table as he moved his knight.

"Same," Aurelius agreed. "The evidence must not have been as damning as Alex told me it was. I notice that Eigil doesn't seem too thrilled about him being back."

"Of course not. Didn't you hear?" Stock said, lowering his voice even more. "Some of the upper classman were talking about putting Eigil on the Quidditch team if Xavier couldn't come back. I heard Hephaestus questioning Jocelyn about it, but she wouldn't answer him directly. I think they planned to settle it during the tryouts."

"Good thing he's back then," Aurelius said. "It's one less year we have to have that giant goon on the team."

"Hm, looks like things are heating up over there," Stock whispered.

As casually as Aurelius could, he shifted his position to lean against the wall as if trying to get more comfortable, his left hand touching the pieces thoughtfully as if considering his move while watching from the corner of his eye. It was Jocelyn more than Xavier who looked agitated. But Xavier had a look that Aurelius had seen before; firm, unwavering, but full of fire as if daring anyone to go against it. Even more than his ease and charm at manipulation, it was that never back down stance that had earned him his position, and it looked as if Jocelyn momentarily forgot it. But finally she backed down, saying something to him without looking directly at him. It was then that Xavier looked over towards where they were sitting with a thoughtful look on his face.

"You're cheating!" Stock suddenly burst out.

"What? Me?" Aurelius said in complete surprise

"That's right, trying to distract me. That's not a legal move!" Stock told him. It wasn't until they had gotten far into the argument over where Aurelius' own knight had been sitting when Aurelius realized his friend had only acted to cover up their scrutiny. He also knew it wasn't going to work.

"Save the tricks for the other houses, you two," Xavier told them, and Aurelius knew better than to think he was speaking of the game. "Aurelius, before I forget, I want to ask you to be at tryouts early this weekend. You have a keen eye and I want to get your opinion about Eigil Hauk."

"But I thought we had no replacements this year? Don't we have a full team?" Aurelius asked.

"If Hauk is as good as his boasting, Rel, we have to do what's best for the house," Xavier said seriously. "And I'm sure whoever it is that Hauk replaces will do their duty by graciously stepping aside. I suggest neither of you stay up too late tomorrow worrying over homework, either. I expect you all performing your best at the tryouts this weekend."

"Xavier? What happened with the goblin?" Stock asked.

"Try the papers," Xavier said dryly. "I'm sure they'll all be talking about it by morning. Good night."

As he walked away, the two of them turned back to the game, leaning on the table and looking at each other as if in a stalemate.

"Look our best, eh? You know what this means," Stock said, shoving a pawn up a spot at random completely uncaring about the outcome now.

"The tryouts this year are going to be real," Aurelius nodded grimly. Stock looked at him thoughtfully.

"Wonder why he wants your opinion? Think you're picking your own successor?" Stock asked him.

"No," Aurelius said, picking up his queen and shaking it at Stock before moving it. "Xavier would be a fool to get rid of me. It would have personal consequences."

"It must be nice having pretty sisters to bargain with. I guess there are some disadvantages to being an only child after all," Stock said, glumly watching as his last knight got broken to pieces by the queen.

"How can he be concerned with Quidditch at a time like this?"

"Because it's Xavier," Mandria sighed as she walked beside Alex on the way to the pitch, knowing quite well that Alex was hardly going down there to check out the hopefuls. "It's not like he can do anything but wait just like the rest of us until the Ministry figures out how the corpse got there, and he does have responsibilities here, being Head Boy and all. What do you expect him to do, anyhow?"

"I don't know, but coming back and acting like there's nothing wrong isn't it," Alex said with frustration. "If it had been me, I'd have stayed right there and would have demanded to know everything I could about what was going on. Quidditch! There are more important things than this schools' sport's program."

"Does that mean you're skipping our first sparring meet this week?" Mandria said slyly.

"No, of course not," Alex said, joining the rest of her team.

"You're just in time, Alex!" Kim Lee, the new Quidditch captain told her.

"Why, who's trying out?" Alex said curiously, frowning when she saw the crowd of Ravenclaws in front of them, too busy gaping to actually get on their brooms.

"No no, not on ours," he said impatiently. "Eigil Hauk!"

Every teams' eyes were on the powerful boy as he pushed through like a locomotive, shuffling the Quaffle back and forth with such strength it nearly knocked Jocelyn off her broom trying to catch it and push it back. Other students practicing in his path saw him coming and fled his path in self-defense as he tossed the Quaffle into the ring like a bullet at a distance no one else would have tried. He turned then and made a gesture with his hand, and Heph Grey tossed him a bat. He then used the bat to point to the box which Juliet kicked open. The Bludgers flew up and Grey with his own bat smacked one over, giving Eigil the perfect opportunity to slam the ball so hard that it smashed into one of the stands, completely destroying the bench that it hit. Everyone in the stands gasped in surprise, and the Slytherin team cheered; all except for Xavier Platt himself, who watched over the tryout with a critical, thoughtful eye.

In the Gryffindor quarter, the entire team turned pale, some of them wincing as they though of what damage a Bludger at that speed could do to an unsuspecting player.

"It's like having Henry the Ox all over again," Rose said.

"Who's Henry the Ox?" Zack asked curiously.

"The most brutal Quidditch player in a generation," Stewart explained, his eyes not leaving the field. "But Eigil is a lot taller and just as thick. How can I put new players out there with him?"

"Well, we really don't have much choice, do we? We have three spots to fill this year," Rose said.

"I hardly need the reminder," Stewart said grumpily.

"Where do you think Xavier's going to put him? Chaser or Beater?" Conner asked. "Me, I hope it's Chaser, then you and I can answer the challenge," Conner said, giving his friend a wicked smile.

"And if it's not, we're sending two rookie Beaters out there to face him," Stewart mused.

"I thought you were picking Halbert and Shelly? Surely Halbert's an answer if there ever was one," Rose said.

"Yes, but not Shelly. We need to send a team," Stewart said, looking out into the stands. Rose chuckled, shaking her head dubiously.

"He'll never buy it. Whatever you say, he's not going to buy it."

"He's bent before when we needed him," Stewart said, leaning back a bit. "There he is, up front watching Halbert. Conner, get Snape up here."

"Andrew doesn't like to play. Andrew only likes to watch," Zack said irritably, not liking the sound of this at all. If they talked Andrew into playing, it left only the Chaser position open to decide, and Zack suspected now that would go to Shelly.

"I know that, Zack, but he's a great player in his own right even if he does lack a bit in self confidence," Stewart said, reasoning to himself as much as the boy beside him. "Besides, Eigil aside, we've a field of Snapes against us, and we'd be idiots not to try to even that."

"Oh, com'on, 'Drew! It's not going to kill you to come over here and talk!" Conner said. He had a 'friendly' arm around him, but Stewart and Rose could plainly see that Conner was actually holding onto his collar.

"I don't want to try out!" Andrew protested.

"It's all right, Conner, he doesn't have to try out if he doesn't want to," Stewart said calmly.

"I don't?" Andrew said brightly.

"He doesn't?" Conner squinted at Stewart. Stewart shook his head.

"Nope. He just has to play," Stewart said. Andrew let out a loud groan and held his stomach as he found himself subjected to Rose and Stewart's pleading looks.


	12. Captured in Art

Chapter Twelve

Captured in Art

Jennifer combed through the paper with such an intense eagerness that Severus frowned disapprovingly at her, watching her fixedly until she finally looked up from the paper and gauged the thoughts behind his expression.

"I'm just concerned," Jennifer said. "You can't blame me for being concerned. I'm not contemplating getting involved."

"Good," Severus said simply, turning back to the homework he was marking.

"Auror Moody now suspects that the murderer of Cutmite might be a goblin," Jennifer said, Severus reluctantly looking up at her again, but Jennifer wasn't paying attention. She had a distant look on her face. "The possible motive being, of course, political, hoping to stir things up between the Ministry and the Bank Governors now that there's a new Minister in power."

"Yes," Severus said carefully, looking completely disinterested as he turned back to work. "Well, that's definitely not our problem, is it?"

"Oh, Severus really!" Jennifer said with exasperation, and Severus leaned back in resignation, folding his arms and tapping his finger against them. "You don't believe that what happened at the vault is sheer coincidence and that Father and the kids were merely at the wrong place at the wrong time! What about that bit with the secret?"

"Jennifer, might I point out that the word 'secret' could mean absolutely anything? It is our nature, when such a word is used, to immediately think about the worst-case secret we could think of, but couldn't the reference be simpler than that? The murderer very well may have thought that someone in the vault saw the crime or had some clue to who it was and the 'secret' as it were, merely points to that act."

"No, no, no, that's too easy," Jennifer said getting up. Severus managed to avoid rolling his eyes by rubbing them gently and got his spectacles thrust at him in response. "Father was down there looking for something… something related to this Scur business. It has got to be too much coincidence that a goblin dagger was involved in the murder of Mr. Brad as well, I'm sure there's a connection."

"Yes, and I'm sure from what you just told me, the Ministry is very much on the trail."

"Or are they?" Jennifer said with a frown.

"Jennifer, did you or did you not promise not to get involved in anything of this sort this year?" Severus asked point blank, his expression the same stony gaze as it had been at the beginning of the conversation.

"I wasn't proposing that we do so," Jennifer assured him. "I'm sure they have it under control."

"Good," Severus said, putting on his spectacles and turning back to his work.

"Although…" Jennifer began again. Severus sighed. "I'm not so sure how far we can trust Moody in this."

"Really? From what I've seen you have had more respect for the old man's methods than many others I know, including myself," Severus added wryly.

"Yes, but ever since Father got out, Alastor has been as close to father as Audi is, and you know how loyal she is to him," Jennifer said.

"Perhaps, but he is hardly going to side with any cause he feels is criminal either," Severus pointed out. Jennifer sighed and sat the paper down, going over to check the test potion she had bubbling.

"Funny how the lines between criminal and justice get all askew any time you're speaking of my father or anyone around him… it's like all the fine lines between right and wrong suddenly blur and it is hard to tell which is which," she murmured, gazing into the grey substance as she stirred the light in with the dark, watching the marbling effect thoughtfully.

Severus slipped off his spectacles again and gazed at her for a long time as if contemplating an answer. But then there was a pecking noise on the door, and Severus glanced at his watch.

"Must be your mail, lunch is almost done."

"I've got it," Jennifer said, opening the door. Dodger immediately flew in, dropping the letters at her feet before hopping over to the stand, squabbling with Ratfly trying to get him to move over. "Now, he was there first! If you're going to act like that, I'll chuck you out again," she warned the owl as she picked up the letters, doing a double take when she caught sight of an official Ministry envelope. "Oh what have I done this time?" She said out loud, thinking back to try and recall if she'd cast any dark magic in the last week.

"Apparently something to make another dent in the mischievous professor's Ministry fine fund," he said expressionlessly, but Jennifer knew he was teasing her. She opened it and frowned, for it wasn't anything like what she expected. "It's a court order. They want to search the vault, and they want me to be present because of the nature of the items."

"I would have insisted that one or both of us went anyhow," Severus said. "In fact, I'd rather I went as well. When do they want this done?"

"He's asking for a convenient time," Jennifer shrugged. "Before the game perhaps?"

"That is hardly convenient," Severus frowned. "We both have security obligations."

"But Ciardoth…"

"I don't care, I would prefer we kept up security, although I agree with Brittle in removing the lightning rule," Severus said. "And I'd like to add that any student removing a Quidditch Porterband before the end of the game will result in suspension from further games," he added with a flash in his eye. "Especially relation."

Jennifer chuckled at that.

"Very well, our Tuesday morning conference. Wait, that's Halloween, isn't it?" Jennifer said.

"That'll do," Severus said.

"I wonder why they didn't ask to see the vault right off when it came out that that's where he was?" Jennifer frowned.

"Political reasons, Jennifer. The bank would have strongly protested any Ministry intrusions on their lower levels… clients with delicate items would be very put out if the bank didn't protest anyone from the outside looking into it. If the Ministry has gotten to the point it is insisting despite whatever findings the bank itself gave them, I would think that they are running into a dead end."

"Oh," Jennifer said.

"Which is still no reason to get involved," he emphasized before stowing his papers and glasses and giving her a quick kiss before heading to class. Jennifer gazed after him with a frown on her face before finally turning back to her potion.

It was a flyer passed around the next morning that let the students know what the plans were for Halloween, and the excitement through the Great Hall could hardly be abated.

"'Professor Scribe and the Adopt-a-Ghost program would like to announce its plan to host the First Annual Spectral Ball to be held in the Great Hall after the Halloween Feast," Andrew read. "The purpose of the feast will be to encourage more members into the society and raise public awareness. Please note that due to the sensitivity to our guests, séances or callings of any kind will not be permitted this year, even with supervision.'" Andrew read.

"Public awareness about ghosts?" Zack snorted. "What's to know? You're either aware of them or you're not."

"Oh is that all, sir?" Several people jumped as Nearly Headless Nick floated up from the center of the table. "Good morning, Miss Bailey! Are we still on for Tuesday Evening? Because if you would rather take a living date, I quite understand…"

"Oh, nonsense, Sir Nicholas! Any girl would be honored to be an escort for a knight," Rose said. Even though ghosts couldn't truly blush, the look on his face more than gave the impression that he would be had he the blood for it.

"Good, very good! Good morning, students," Nick said, continuing his path down the center of the table before finally fading away. Rose chuckled.

"That's the third time he's asked me if I was sure since the last Adopt-a-Ghost meeting," Rose grinned.

"We thought about doing that," Halbert said, "Although we haven't had much time what with helping Sagittari with the animals and all."

"Is it much fun?" Andrew asked.

"Well, sometimes," Rose said. "But sometimes it can be a lot of work, too. Most ghosts have a way of making you feel downright depressed if you spend too much time with them. The best thing to do is start off upbeat, and know when it's time to call it a day."

"So who's got the other house ghosts?" Zack asked curiously.

"Oh, just me and Pensington… Ravenclaw, being a teacher, thought it'd be a conflict of interest to get involved, I think, and everyone's too petrified of the Bloody Baron to ask him. But I hear Alicia jumped in and adopted Janus Craw."

"Good old Alicia, keeping it in the family," Andrew said approvingly. "Although I didn't even know she had joined up."

"What all is involved in this adopt-a-ghost thing, anyhow?" Zack asked curiously.

"Well mostly you just have to set aside an hour or two each week and keep them company. Many ghosts are rather neurotic, and the contact with the living actually helps pull them out of the shell, and with any luck that will help them towards moving on," Rose said.

"Moving on?" Halbert repeated.

"Yes, of course… to come at peace with themselves so they can release their ties and go on to their higher existence," Rose explained. "You'll find it helps to have some common interest to talk about, otherwise all they talk about is death and really… you don't' want to go there," Rose assured them. "Going to join in? I've been trying to talk Alex into it, and it might help if one of you join too."

"I bet all the good ghosts are already taken," Zack mumbled. "Maybe I'll look into it though. I've thought about it before."

"As long as we don't have to feed them," Halbert chuckled.

"Great! If we're lucky, Professor Scribe can match you up with ghosts before the ball!" Rose said.

But after History class when Zack, Alicia, and Morfinn stopped to look, Zack merely frowned, shaking his head as he looked down the list.

"The only ones left are a bunch of depressed wailers," he complained.

"Zack, most ghosts are depressed wailers," Alicia sighed. "That's why we cheer them up. Even Janus can be a real bear sometimes. Fortunately, I have help from…" she suddenly caught herself. "From Professor Ravenclaw."

"So instead of having one moping ghost you have two?" Zack chuckled.

"Perhaps you might try to get to know one or two of them, Mr. Black," Professor Scribe suggested with a smile. "You can meet quite a few of them at the ball! If you're truly considering helping one of our ghosts in need, I have a feeling that by talking to them you may find just the one who could use your enthusiasm to cheer them up!"

If Zack was looking for opportunities to meet ghosts there were plenty of them on the days leading to Halloween as ghosts who never came out came out in full force, Peeves entertained himself by throwing everything from raw eggs to rotten apples at the students, and the Baron challenged everyone who passed him. Even Xavier began to steer clear of him. But the Baron did find he met his match in Eigil, for as he popped out of the wall of Conspiracies with a face so horrific he could have caused a heart attack in a weaker student, Eigil drew himself up and growled back so ferociously that it gave the Baron pause, eying him with wary dislike before sulking back through the wall.

Professor Dumbledore stood at the landing of the main stairwell on the level of his study, gazing down at the moving staircases thoughtfully, his head slightly tilted and his gaze thoughtful. If any student had seen him, they might have supposed he was attempting to listen to the castle itself, although they might have been surprised to learn that that was exactly what he was doing. It was the night before Halloween, and Dumbledore gazed down as if trying to remember the circumstances behind the last time the ghosts were this riled up, and came to the only obvious conclusion he could make. If he had any doubts to his answer, it ended the moment he saw a lone, young Hufflepuff girl racing from her rooms and down the stairs towards the Trophy Room.

"Finally! I thought I would never finish my homework!" Alicia said with exasperation as she came in. "If it wasn't bad enough that Snape scheduled a test for Wednesday, he gave us a twenty-two inch essay to do on common dark nuisances due beforehand. I swear he is doing everything in his power to insure that nobody in his classes has fun tomorrow night."

"There's nothing more disruptive to a teacher than having a holiday in the middle of the week," Caprica chuckled. "And Halloween has a reputation for bringing out mischief in the best of students. Why, I would say it's even enough to make your brother Andrew plot against you."

"Plot against me?" Alicia said, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, dear. Unless I miss my guess, I believe he followed you here," Caprica said, and Alicia suddenly cried out his name and turned around, swatting the air with her sketchpad until it smacked against someone than began beating him with it.

"Ow! Ow! Cut it out, Alicia!" Andrew said at last as he appeared with his arms up, attempting to shield off the blows.

"You little spy! You horrible, horrible little spy!" Alicia declared.

"Calm down, sis! You can't blame me for being curious why you spend so much in time in here, you've got everyone wondering!" Andrew protested, Alicia suddenly stopping and staring at him.

"Really? Really everyone?" Alicia said concernedly.

"Well, me, Alex and Aurelius, anyhow," Andrew said, glancing around nonchalantly as if looking for something.

"Good evening, Andrew," Caprica said bemusedly.

"Hullo," Andrew said to the painting before turning to his sister. "So what exactly do you do in here, anyhow?"

"Talk to paintings," Alicia admitted sheepishly, her cheeks becoming rosy. Andrew gazed at her curiously.

"That's your big secret? That you talk to paintings?" Andrew said puzzledly. "You didn't have to keep that from us. I mean, I know what people say about well… what I mean is, we wouldn't let anyone think you were crazy or anything."

"Don't feel bad, Alicia." Andrew looked over in surprise to see a painting of that very room, and a straw-haired youth and his friends watching them with amused expressions. "They said the same thing to me when I started doing it."

"Actually I think I was talking to her more than you were at the end," said the dark-haired girl next to him.

"Corey?" Andrew said in surprise. "What in the world are you doing in a picture in here? I didn't know you won anything in school."

"Well I didn't exactly," Corey said with amusement. "Do you realize that you're talking to a painting?"

"Well, I suppose I'm beginning to understand now," Andrew said, looking at Alicia who merely smiled and shook her head.

"Not quite. Andrew, may I present to you to the painting of Professor Caprica Dusthorn, first appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts, and the best friend I've ever had," Alicia declared.

"Oh, nonsense, from what you've told me your brothers and sister are you true best friends," Caprica said, but smiled at her proudly.

"A Headmaster?" Andrew said curiously. "But… I don't think I've seen your picture in Dumbledore's study."

"This is the only one," Caprica assured him with a chuckle. "And I'm quite sure that the current Headmaster believes that one is enough," she winked. "I am half Pooka, and mischief is second nature to me, just as it seems it's second nature to you Snapes."

"But I don't understand," Andrew said, looking over at his sister. "See, the paintings of retired Headmasters are special. They're usually kept in Dumbledore's study. Why would this one… the first one… be kept apart?"

"To keep me out of trouble, of course," Caprica smiled. "Oh, I won't be in here forever. But right now I can do more good here than there."

"In what way?" Andrew asked. Caprica began to answer then thought about it, laughing.

"Goodness, you Snapes are an inquisitive bunch, but I should have thought no less. I could answer questions all night, I suppose, and you both would miss your curfews, get into trouble and then we'd all be under glass," she said, laughing at her joke. "So, Andrew, can you help us keep our little secret?"

"Why is it a secret?" Andrew asked.

"Because, dear boy, I find I can accomplish a lot more if the current faculty isn't nosing in," Caprica said bluntly, the look of amusement never leaving her face. "But I assure you that it is in the best interest of the school that I'm awake right now."

"You can trust her, Andrew," Alicia assured him.

"All right," Andrew said, glancing at all the other pictures thoughtfully. "So what sort of work do you do, Caprica?"

"Right now, my interest is in the upcoming ball," Caprica said. "The ghosts are all quite excited, and the paintings are as well."

"The paintings?"

"Yes! In fact, I've called a meeting for that very evening… after the students go to bed, of course. The ball will act as a perfect gathering spot for those planning to attend," Caprica said.

"Attend?" Andrew prompted.

"Caprica is on the board of the Committee of Conscious Paintings," Alicia explained with a grin. "They're allied with the Committee of Conscious Dead, don't you know. And guess who runs both of them!"

"Well the only person I can think of who could do both is Francis Pyther," Andrew concluded.

"Exactly! And the meeting is to decide whether to keep him on for another hundred years or not. And I am going to speak on his behalf!" Alicia beamed.

"Wow, that's quite an honor, I'd imagine," Andrew said in spite of himself. "But I say, does Dumbledore know about this meeting?"

"Oh, we need not trouble Dumbledore with such things. He has enough to contend with to make sure that certain students aren't out of their rooms past hours," she hinted with a smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Caprica!" Alicia promised.

"So you will, my dear. Good night, Andrew," Caprica added.

"See you," Andrew said, following his sister out of the room.

"I don't think last year would have been bearable for me if it hadn't been for Caprica," Alicia said as they walked to the stairs. "She was there when I didn't think I could talk to anybody… about the Broom Closet… about Aurelius."

"What did she have to say about Aurelius?" Andrew asked curiously.

"Actually…" Alicia said, thinking back, "Actually I did most of the talking. She didn't really say anything, well, against him, or even for him, really. We just talked about how I felt. Really, Andrew, she's a very good listener. A lot like you in that way," Alicia said as they paused at the landing to say their goodbyes before heading off in their separate directions. But Andrew was still thoughtful as he walked to the Gryffindor rooms, more conscious than ever of the heightened moans and wails and chuckles of the ghosts floating through the halls.

* * *

Jennifer dreaded the descent to the Craw vault, even though she had always enjoyed the fast speed and quick turns of the carts. She kneaded her head as they stepped out, attempting to alleviate the growing pressure upon her temples and reminding herself she was just imagining it, concentrating instead on the others. Ederick Thurspire and Alastor Moody were busy putting on their gloves, while she and Severus were already wearing theirs. Griphook didn't bother, nor did anyone expect him to do so. Goblins working for the bank had their own protections against curses, especially on gold, although, Jennifer remembered with a grin, it was hardly foolproof. Still, she was quite certain that nothing in the Craw vault could do what the comb with Midas' hair had done. Almost restlessly, Moody checked around the outside of the vault and peered thoughtfully at the tracks, and Thurspire made a play at doing the same, although Jennifer could see from his expression that he felt it a futile examination. Finally Moody nodded, and Jennifer unlocked the vault and opened it, making sure she was the first to step inside.

"Is that the only key to this vault, or does your father have a duplicate?" Thurspire asked curiously.

"Goblin keys cannot be duplicated," Griphook said evenly, but there was an indignant flash in his eyes.

"There's only one, he merely borrowed it," Jennifer said.

"I see, and did he borrow it with your permission?" Thurspire asked thoughtfully.

"This is his vault," Jennifer said firmly. "It's true he gave it to me as a wedding gift, but as far as I'm concerned its contents are still his as much as mine. If he needed something out of it, I have no objections."

"Jennifer, I am not sure if this occurred to you or not, but if this vault had been in his possession at the time of his arrest, all of its contents would have surely been confiscated by the Ministry," Thurspire said with amusement. "I have a feeling that Craw realized it when he gave you that key in the first place." Jennifer stared at him, speechless. "You do realize that if you did willingly allow him in and he took out an item that he is not allowed by his restrictions to use that you would be held partially responsible for any actions taken with that said item? Now, come clean, I'm sure you're not that irresponsible. He took the key from you, did he not?" Severus suddenly stepped up, putting a hand in front of his wife to stop her from answering.

"You are here," Severus said icily, "to investigate the disappearance and murder of the goblin Cutmite, and for that reason alone did we give you permission to enter this vault. If you continue to attempt to try to entrap my wife into implicating her father or herself in these imaginary crimes of yours, I shall personally go to Minister Malfoy about your conduct and see to it that you're put in your place."

"No need to get excited, Severus, I was merely asking," Thurspire said with a thin smile.

"I already said he borrowed the key," Jennifer spoke up stubbornly. "And that being said, let's drop it."

"All right, but I'm afraid it may do you more harm than good in saying so. After all, if your father faces murder charges for killing Cutmite, he's beyond your power to save anyhow," Thurspire said.

"What?" Jennifer stared at him. "You're insane! What reason would he have? And he wouldn't have killed anyone with my children watching either!"

"You are forgetting, Jennifer, that we found the cart still at this location. Might it not be possible that he sent the children on ahead, and came back to do the deed?"

"Thurspire, the children all stated they heard something before they left the vault," Severus said, his patience wearing thinner by the second. "And what reason would Craw have for killing a goblin when he knew it would cost him his life?"

"Craw could have made the sounds himself… one doesn't need magic to throw one's voice," Thurspire said. Moody rolled his magic eye and shook his head. Suddenly he caught sight of something, both eyes turning to gaze at it curiously. "As for the reason, that is obvious. He may not have wished for the guard to see exactly what was taken out of the vault…something, in fact, that he probably plans to use to perpetuate Malfoy's death, and therefore condemning his own life. Death then, would be no concern, provided he could stall long enough to do what he set out to do. As far as we know, he could be descending on the mansion right now."

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Moody said, ignoring Thurspire's conjectures completely as he carefully picked up a sheet of drawing paper off the floor of the vault. "Why, it's a sketch of your house, I believe. It must be one of Alicia's. But what is it doing in here?" Moody asked, gazing at Jennifer with a rather intense expression.

"She must have dropped it in the confusion," Jennifer said quickly. "She always has her sketchbook with her."

"It's strangely off center, as if she was drawing in a hurry," Moody mused.

"More than likely, knowing our daughter, she was bored with being down in this vault and was merely doing it to pass the time," Severus said, gazing at him evenly.

"Yes, but then why did she not take her time?" Moody said with an enigmatic smile.

"Moody, what the devil difference does it make? I hardly think a child's drawing is a clue to the murder," Thurspire said irritably.

"Of course not, Thurspire, you know best," Moody chuckled in such a maniacal fashion that Thurspire gazed back at him guardedly. "Well, I've seen all I need to here, thanks for your patience."

"Just a minute, Moody, I haven't had a chance to look around yet," Thurspire said.

"There's no need. I'm quite convinced now that Craw could not possibly have done it, nor, by the way, was the item he took out cursed, Thurspire."

"And just how do you know that?" Thurspire snapped.

"Simple. I asked Griphook here," Moody said, and Griphook nodded and grinned grimly at Thurspire. "I'm afraid then your theory has no motive, and I assure you no opportunity either. Craw was in this vault when whatever happened to Cutmite happened."

"And where is your evidence?" Thurspire demanded as they exited the vault.

"I have a better question," Moody said, fixing both eyes on him. "Where's yours?"

"The cart, for one thing!"

"Oh dash the cart, Thurspire," Moody said. "Don't you think it's likely that the murderer would have come in a cart of his own? He may have easily taken the catwalk to another part of the vault… where he may have gotten into his own vault as a way to store or disguise the corpse in some way in order to get it out."

"He could not have stored it, Auror, as we do take inventory each evening," Griphook said.

"Fine, then he had something in his vault used to transport items and took it out that way, such as a Chest Cloak. And then when that was done, he'd leave the article so that nothing seemed disturbed, then headed out in the first available cart. Whether he took the same one or not is really beside the point, and the fact that any specific cart was at a specific location really has no relevance. I, however, have some means to prove my theory. Griphook, can I get a list of everyone on this level who got into their vault that day? Especially anyone who might have had their vault recently moved down here. An employee list might be handy as well."

"I'll need the paperwork first since that would go against our customer confidentiality," Griphook insisted.

"Of course, sir. I'm sure Thurspire would be happy to take our findings to Minister Malfoy and Magistrate Muse, wouldn't you, Minister?" Alastor said cheerfully, patting him on the back. "After you, dear Jennifer. Do you mind if I accompany you both back to Hogwarts? I'd like to drop in on Albus and say hello."

If Jennifer was quiet on the way out, it was overcome by the fact that Moody was unusually chatty to the point of being slightly obnoxious…especially to Thurspire, it seemed, who couldn't leave fast enough. Then he grew quiet and thoughtful, and it wasn't until they Apparated near the station for the walk around the lake that he finally spoke again.

"You know, Jennifer," Alastor said. "I've been living with Audi quite a few years now, and I've learned to read her like a book, rather as if I was a Truth Seeker myself. And if there has been one thing I've learned it is that Truth Seekers are the worst liars in the world," he said with a wicked smile.

"How much do you know?" Severus asked calmly, his eyes on the path as if the answer meant nothing to him.

"Enough to know that you won't be able to keep the secret of that extraordinary daughter of yours a secret forever," Alastor said. "Oh, I'll keep it for now, provided of course that Craw doesn't get arrested for a crime we all know he didn't commit, but there is one condition."

"And that is?" Jennifer asked resignedly, gazing up at Severus who nodded to her.

"That I get to see it in action," Alastor grinned wickedly with a twinkle in both his eyes.


	13. A Spectral Affair

Chapter Thirteen

A Spectral Affair

Severus glanced at his watch as they got to the gate, checking not only the time but also the status of the children. He gazed thoughtfully at the arrow that pointed Andrew towards "Office" then snapped it shut.

"Alicia is about to finish Herbology, Jennifer, and Aurelius is in the library… you might want to invite him up to the study as well so he's aware of what's going on."

"You're not going?" Jennifer asked curiously.

"I have something else to attend to, it seems, but no need. I've seen it before. It isn't like you can actually leave the castle and get into trouble before the next class starts. Oh, and Jennifer, make sure Alicia gets to my class on time."

"We couldn't leave the castle anyway," Jennifer reminded him. "The paintings here don't connect to the outside."

"You mean she can use paintings other than her own to get into them? How are the paintings not connected? As I recall, the ones in…"

"Alastor please," Severus cut him off, sighing at him while gazing around to make sure there were no students in the hall. "I suggest you wait until after getting to Dumbledore's study to ask such questions?"

"I wouldn't have spoken if we were being Snooped," he grunted. "But very well, Severus, I'll humor your paranoid nature."

"Isn't that the cauldron calling the kettle black," Severus said dryly as he swept down the hall towards his room.

"Right this way, Alastor," Jennifer chuckled, the two of them heading down the main hall to the library.

Severus turned quickly around and headed to his office to find Andrew dutifully studying for his Potions test while he waited, looking up the moment he came in.

"Hullo. How did things go?" Andrew asked politely.

"Not as I expected, however not completely unexpected either. Your grandfather is in no immediate danger of being arrested, but we have added another confidante in Auror Moody and also if I'm not mistaken Auror Belle. But never mind that headache for now, what is it you needed?"

"Something that might be important… but it might not be," Andrew admitted. Severus squinted.

"Try me."

"I'm trying to think of how to word this without breaking any promises," Andrew said, Severus' look becoming even more intent. "Professor, are the paintings in this school, well, safe?" Severus blinked at him.

"Safe in what way?" he frowned.

"Well, to speak to. Casually. I mean, supposing that I came across a student talking to one, and suppose that painting asked her… that person, I mean, not to mention that… he or she was talking to a painting, especially the staff…"

"Stop, I've heard enough," Severus said tiredly. "So Professor Dusthorn is awake after all, is she?"

"I didn't say it was any particular painting!" Andrew protested.

"No, Andrew, nor did you do anything but confirm something I have suspected for some time now. That's by far the most troublesome painting in this school."

"Is she dangerous?" Andrew asked.

"As is anything made of magic," Severus reminded him. "I will handle it. You just worry about your test," he advised, opening the door for him.

Severus let out a long sigh and headed to his desk for his book and folder for the next class. It was not even noon yet and already it had felt like a full day, and there could be no doubt that there was much more to come…especially when a second later Descartes began a call of alarm from the classroom.

He entered to find his second year students bunched up by the door, while Peeves was busy completely destroying everything that had been on his desk. Ink from the well was poured over it all and oozed down the sides; and the splatters on some of the students clothing indicated he had done so after they had began to organize for class. But the state of the desk was not as alarming as the pair of now bent and cracked spectacles Peeves was holding up to his face. In horror, Severus looked over his shoulder at his office desk than back again, then growled when he realized without a doubt they were his own.

"I am Snape! Get to your seats! A hundred points off Gryffindor!" Peeves declared. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws near the door grinned at each other. "I flunk you all! A hundred more points off Gryffindor!" Peeve mocked, laughing maniacally.

"Someone seems to have forgotten what happened the last time he tried to mock me," Snape said, his black eyes flashing dangerously. "You really want the Bloody Baron in here?" Several of the students decided to step into the hall, just in case the Baron decided to make an entrance at that very second. But Peeves did not seem worried. Instead he began to sing.

"Seething snarling sneering Snapey!

"Mr. Jennifer Craw in a capey!

"Thinks his students are all asses,

"Always squints without his…"

"That's quite enough!" Severus shouted, sending Descartes into a protest again. He pulled a bottle out of his pocket with complete intentions of putting him away for the evening when Jennifer and Alicia arrived, and Jennifer pushed her way in.

"Oh, don't do that, Severus! Not on Halloween!" Jennifer protested.

"I will if I like! He knows better than to terrorize a classroom during class…"

"Well, technically, it's before class," Jennifer pointed out, but Peeves' high laughter attracted their attention again

"Snapey's wife! Runs his life! Pretty as you please! Brings Snapey to his knees!" Peeves cackled.

"Perhaps a demonstration of the mischief reversal spell?" Jennifer suggested with a smile.

"I'll handle this in my own way, thank you! Don't you have a class to teach?" Severus snapped, more than a little perturbed by Peeves' subject matter. Sheepishly Jennifer cleared her throat and nodded, excusing herself while Severus was busy lining his class up against the back wall. Quickly he closed the door after her, ignoring the continuous noise of Peeves singing, "Snippy Snapey is a Snit to his Spouse" over and over again.

"Now that we have one less distraction," Severus said, and then lowered his voice. "We will go over the reversal spell. Wands out, please." Alicia quickly stifled a chuckle and obediently got out her wand for the lesson.

By dinner, Severus was quite at the end of his patience, and only Dumbledore's persistent conversation kept him at the table at all as the ghosts began to slip in impatient to get things started.

"You can hardly blame them, of course. They look forward to this night all year. Do try the lemon ice, Severus, you won't be disappointed," Dumbledore was going on. "I suppose you are running security for the event?"

"No, that honor would be Hermione's," Severus said firmly. "I'm sure our new Deputy Headmaster is more than capable of handling the affair."

"Thank you, Severus," Hermione said with an enigmatic smile. "And I was more than happy to do it. Jennifer, you're staying to escort the band in while Danny sets up, aren't you?'

"Of course," Jennifer said whole-heartedly.

"Oh, no," Severus groaned, staring between Jennifer, Hermione, and Danny on the other side of her. "Please don't tell me that the Four Winds are making a comeback."

"Corey volunteered, isn't that lovely?" Jennifer smiled at Severus, who looked even more tired than before.

"I am completely delighted to have them," Pomona put in from the other side of Jennifer. "Goodness, but with Filius gone, it seems we've had all sorts of trouble gathering up talent for events! And I think the students will get a kick out of seeing their recreation instructor take up an instrument," she added with a wink.

"Is it really that hard to find a magic band these days?" Dumbledore asked.

"Simply ghastly," Hermione agreed, polishing a carefully picked apple. "And I couldn't possibly call in any more favors."

"Well, then, perhaps we'll just have to rely on our own homegrown talents next time," Dumbledore mused, pushing another bowl over at Severus. "Do try the brandied cherries. I would think there's probably talent all over this school hiding where we least expect it. Why even, you, Severus, don't you play the violin?"

"Don't even suggest it," Severus said warningly, but beside him Jennifer had begun to beam.

"What a brilliant idea!"

"You must be joking," Severus said with a stony expression, wondering what had come over her.

"No, no, not you, Severus, I'd never expect you to embarrass yourself in front of the school like that," Jennifer reassured him. Severus stared starkly at her but she continued anyhow. "I meant the idea of a school talent show. You're always speaking about branching out our arts, Professor, perhaps in the spring before the students get out, we could have a sort of showcase, you know, even invite parents, drum up support and all of that for a permanent arts director."

"Why, Jennifer, I think it's a splendid idea," Dumbledore agreed.

"Yes, until you consider exactly how much that would effect their marks," Severus said grumpily. "Instead of studying for their finals, OWLS and NEWTS, they'll be annoying us all practicing in the halls, libraries, and every other inconvenient place they can think of leaving their work unfinished and us on constant headache potions."

"Haven't you any faith at all in your own work, Severus?" Hermione said. "With the changes we were able to have made in the OWLS and NEWTS, the staff will easily be able to spread out the workload through the fifth and seventh years so that they become no harder than a regular final exam would. If all goes well, the staff and students both will have extra time that they wouldn't have those last couple months."

"Besides that," Danny put in, nodding in agreement with Hermione. "I seem to recall when Corey was starting his band that you and Professor McGonagall both made it a condition that we kept a good mark average and kept up all our homework to be able to do it. We can easily put the same restriction in for the talent show."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore agreed. "I'm always ready to approve new and inventive ways to get the students involved. Jennifer, I'm sure you, Hermione, and Danny can have the matter well in hand. Oh, but do be sure whatever the outcome that I have a good seat. Try the chicken, Severus?"

"Thank you, no. Right now it might taste too much like crow," Severus said dryly, Jennifer smiling apologetically at him.

"I never said I wouldn't get involved in any school projects this year," Jennifer reminded him, but from the look on his face it was obvious that it didn't go over well.

"Perhaps Earham would like to help," Danny suggested, glancing at the empty seat between herself and Hermione. "Where is the new professor, anyhow?"

"He thought under the circumstances that it might be better if he sat out the evening, as it were, so he retired early, I believe," Dumbledore said, dropping gumdrops into his pudding.

"Under the circumstances?" Severus prompted.

"Goodness, didn't I tell you? I'm sure I did," Dumbledore said, furrowing his brow.

"I know, Professor," Hermione said, "But only because I had a long talk with him. I guess the rest of the staff haven't made much effort at getting to know him." Jennifer and Danny smiled at her but looked incredibly guilty.

"Ah, well then I suppose I should explain that Professor Singh does have one little quirk, and that is the fact that he doesn't believe in ghosts," Dumbledore said.

"What?" Jennifer laughed. "But how is that possible in this castle?"

"He neither sees them nor hears them. He's quite firm on the topic, in fact, and would rather not even discuss the possibility."

"That explains everything!" Icarus said from the other side of Pomona. "I've attempted to greet him on more than one occasion and he ignored me completely. I thought it was something I said," he brooded. "Whoever does he think is teaching Divination?"

"I asked him that," Hermione grinned. "He thinks we've used a hypnosis charm to make the class think someone is there as an experiment on developing more effective self study courses."

"Honestly! What rubbish," Jennifer snorted, shaking her head. "Of course I've heard of this sort of thing in Muggles, but not full fledged wizard."

"I think he had a terrible scare at some point," Hermione said, "and for whatever reason it was easier for him just to disbelieve in all ghosts instead of admitting to himself anything happened."

"Thus speaks the school psychologist," Severus sneered.

"If I were, I'd have my hands full just with staff, what with some professors chain imbibing carrot potions because they're afraid of their image," Hermione retorted.

"Now, Hermione," Dumbledore tsked her, but then was distracted by an occurrence at the Slytherin table where the back of Juliet's skirt came up and folded up over her head. "Oh, dear, perhaps we should draw this to a close and change the Hall around. It appears that Peeves has arrived."

"Peeves has been an incredible nuisance all day," Severus snarled. "Doing things I thought we broke him of years ago and listening to no threats whatsoever. Did you hear what happened during my second year class?"

"Yes, Severus, and I'm afraid I must apologize for that," Dumbledore said, Severus blinking in surprise. "I feel partially responsible for the entire matter."

"As do I," Professor Scribe sighed. "Goodness, I had hoped we were doing the right thing!"

"Don't give up yet, Sally, give them some time," Dumbledore reassured her.

"And may I ask just what, exactly, the two of you did to rile Peeves?" Severus asked suspiciously.

"Well, he'd been so quiet the last few years, I had begun to worry," Dumbledore admitted. "So I suggested to Sally that she might be able to find someone irascible enough to take the challenge of adopting him."

"And I found him the perfect match too," Scribe sighed. "Only I'm afraid that Peeves is so happy with his new living friend that he's pestering every person suggested to him by his companion."

"And who would that be?" Severus said in a low voice, his face looking even more sallow than usual in preparation for what was going to happen next.

"Zacchius Black," Scribe admitted. Jennifer cringed, bracing herself for anything as she gazed over at Severus. But Severus merely stood up and walked out the back door, closing it behind him. A blood-curdling scream rang from behind it, still loud enough that nearly all the students leapt from their seats at the sound.

"Well, that went well," Hermione murmured.

"Better than expected yes," Dumbledore agreed. Jennifer merely cleared her throat to keep herself from letting out a heartfelt groan.

As the students got up and the tables collapsed and stacked themselves neatly out of the way, Zack wasted no time introducing Peeves to Andrew, Halbert, Morfinn, and Alicia, the only four that wanted to get anywhere near him.

Alex was busy making her way to the Slytherin side, smiling almost apologetically at Xavier as she came up to him, noticing the glare on his face as he looked across to where her cousin was.

"I guess you heard," Alex said.

"That and more," Xavier said, his gaze icy. "Peeves decided to explore the Slytherin girls dormitories, and the room is completely wrecked. It happened during afternoon classes and they found him in the underwear drawer."

"Oh, dear," Alex said with a frown. "Juliet's dorm I presume? I think he has a crush on her."

"And he is going to be crushed at this rate. Jocelyn is not happy. One does not tick off a Slytherin prefect," Xavier said, and then glanced over as if remembering who he was talking to. "Sorry, but he really needs to grow up."

"Oh, I agree," Alex said. "Just don't do anything too wicked?"

"No, technically it's Jocelyn's to handle," Xavier said. "I don't know what we're going to do about Peeves though. Usually the Baron would be on him like a knife in the back, but he's been too busy attempting to keep Eigil Hauk awake at night. Hauk sleeps like a log… nothing wakes him up once he's out, so the Baron's only succeeding in annoying everyone else. If only he'd stop trying to get even with Hauk, we might be able to try to get even with Peeves," Xavier chuckled.

"Why, the answer's right in front of your nose, Xavier!" Alex grinned and grabbed his arm, dragging him over to where Jocelyn and Juliet were standing.

Aurelius in the meantime went over to where Stock stood near the back, his arms folded as he glared towards where Eigil Hauk stood with a growing number of admirers, including Heph, who ever since he had learned he was going to partner with the Beater on the Pitch had grown in popularity both in Eigil's eyes as well as some of the Slytherin girls, hoping to get an edge by being friends with him.

"Don't even say I told you so, Rel," Stock said when he came over. "I should have known from the beginning that the only reason Xavier wanted me in was extra financial support for the team. And now that I have nothing…"

"Stock, don't," Aurelius sighed.

"What?"

"Look, ever since I met you, I have hardly ever heard you talk about anything but money. And now that you don't have it, I hear you talking more about not having money than you did about having money. You said yourself the farm's doing better… and you said in the last letter that your father made enough from the pumpkin crop this year to pay off all the back bills. Can't we talk about something else for a change?" Aurelius complained. Stock thought about it for a few minutes.

"I'm not really interested in anything else!" Stock shrugged. Aurelius sighed, glancing behind him.

"Come on, looks like they're setting up the band. Let's help set up the wall chairs, maybe we'll earn some quick points."

"Oh, all right," Stock said without enthusiasm, following Aurelius to where Professor Weasley was organizing things.

The professors' tables had also been moved back out of the way. Madame Brittle and Mr. Brittle were already there, catching up on each other's events that day as they got ready. Taylor Brittle was as slender as his wife, but from there the resemblances stopped, for his was a more wiry build and his wife's more athletic. Large glasses sat heavily on his slender nose; looking more like a librarian than someone willing to pick up an instrument. Their conversation was brought short by the appearance of Doug and Essie, for Doug was making such a fuss over her that no one could mistake him for anything but an expectant father, even if she was only four months along.

"Go set up! I can find my own seat!" Essie flailed, and behind them, Corey and Jennifer laughed.

"Reminds me of Dad when you were pregnant with Alex," Corey teased.

"Goodness, whatever you do, don't tell him that," Jennifer chuckled, only half joking. "He's not in the best of moods tonight."

"Well, maybe I'll give him his birthday present a day early, that would cheer him up."

"It would have to be pretty good, trust me," Jennifer warned him.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Willowby!" Corey looked over and began to grin as Sir Nicholas came over with a beaming smile, greeting him warmly but becoming immediately distracted by the girl in white beside him. "It is good to see you again! Not that your mother doesn't mention you often, of course."

"Perhaps once or twice," Jennifer said proudly.

"Do you know my escort for the evening, Head Girl Rose Bailey, the prettiest girl at the ball, if I do say so myself," he said, bowing gracefully towards her.

"Yes she is, without question," Corey said, smiling at her blushing cheeks.

"Hey!"

"Er, I mean, next to my Mom of course…" Corey quickly amended, grimacing slightly as he had forgotten for an instant that she had been standing there.

"Nice to see you again, Corey." Rose chuckled as they moved away. "Thanks for having your band come in for us!"

"You know you'd better head up to the stage before you get stopped again," Jennifer teased. "Everyone in the building will want to stop and say hi. I'm going to go sit with Essie."

"Sure. Anytime," Corey said distractedly, and Jennifer watched him curiously for a moment before heading to her seat.

He had a bit of trouble finding his family members after he took the stage, although was vaguely aware that Severus stood uncompanionably in the back of the hall, scowling at anyone that came too near. Playing at the school brought back so many memories, and the nostalgia of it all was worth the mixed reactions they were getting from the crowd of clapping and snickering. Xavier and Alex were forever in view in the middle of the cleared floor, never seeming to tire, while Andrew and Alicia never made it that far, lingering instead by the 'Living' refreshments with Halbert, Zack and Morfinn. He had spied Aurelius and Stock saying goodnight to Jennifer and Essie just after the very first number began to head to their rooms.

At first Corey resisted the urge to try to catch Rose's eye in the crowd, feeling terribly guilty even thinking about it. Eighteen or not, she was still a Hogwarts' student, he reminded himself. Besides, what business was it of his who she was seeing? She might as well been a whole world away as in the same room. Taylor visibly winced and glanced back when Corey's fingers fumbled a bit on his guitar, and blushing a bit he grinned apologetically. Forcing it from his mind, Corey concentrated on his music.

He didn't even notice that the walls around him were slowly getting filled up with paintings. But then, not everyone had, too busy talking to the ghosts or dancing or getting pelted by caramel popcorn by Peeves to really pay that much attention. Finally they took a break, and immediately Doug went to check on Essie and Danny and Taylor went off together that Corey found himself lost in his own thoughts again, stepping over to get a drink and find a quiet spot by the wall. He spied Rose then from across the floor, standing with Nick, Mandria, and Conner, pushing Conner back as if he'd said something obnoxious, Mandria laughing at her reaction.

Cautiously, Corey drew put his hand in his pocket and drew out the stone, cupping it in his hand so that no one else could see the soft glow of the Dragonheart diamond embedded within it.

"Okay, so I know. But now what do I do?" Corey whispered to himself.

"Is this a private conversation, or is it open to other opinions?" asked a voice off the wall behind him. He recognized it at once and didn't even bother to turn around.

"Do you know much about her, Professor Dusthorn?"

"Not really, only a little Alicia has told me. Why don't you go talk to her?" Caprica suggested.

"No, I couldn't do that, not here at the school, it wouldn't be right. It'll just have to wait until she's out. But what if she's involved with someone? What if I miss my chance? Professor, do you know if she's seeing anyone at the moment? She doesn't seem to be… or does it?" Corey frowned, watching as she got away from Nick long enough to strike up a conversation with a tall good-looking boy that he was sure he had seen her with before.

"My dear boy, I am but a painting, and until tonight haven't left the Trophy Room in years," Dusthorn said, and then giggled mischievously. "It's too bad that her best friend isn't one of your younger sisters, especially not the one prone to gossip. Tough luck I suppose," she tsked.

"Oh, what an idiot I am, I'm not thinking at all tonight! Of course I can ask Alex. She wouldn't tell her I asked about her. Or would she?" Corey murmured.

"Now who's acting like a student?" Caprica chuckled.

"Maybe I am," Corey sighed, shaking his head. "You know, something in me had always told me it was right to wait… that I was doing the right thing and that the girl I was looking for would come along. I just wasn't expecting to feel even more lost now than before I knew. In this she has an advantage."

"Are you sure she has no idea?" Caprica said thoughtfully, looking at the girl.

"Positive. She sees me only as her friend's older alchemist brother, who needs to learn how to cap Gnomeknuckle. But maybe it's better if she doesn't know. I wouldn't want her to think, well, she had to go with me because we were fated together," Corey said.

"And is that how you feel?" Caprica asked curiously.

"I'm not sure I can put into words how I feel," Corey admitted.

He heard Taylor calling him over and Corey held up a finger, slipping over to Alex to ask her to meet afterwards. Taylor brightened when his friend moved and waved, nudging Danny. Danny, for her part, suddenly gaped at the painting, finally waving before her eyes darted around to meet Dumbledore's. Dumbledore merely smiled and nodded to her, and as she pulled Doug up to his drums she whispered in his ear and he whirled around. By then, every inch of wall had been taken up with paintings.

The last set had much more cheering than the set before as the painting got into the act, making all the students aware of them, calling out in sheer amazement before joining in more enthusiastically themselves. Tiredly, Corey climbed off the stage, hugging Jennifer and wishing her a goodnight as she went to meet Severus upstairs, then took turns with the others speaking to the staff members as the students began to wander back to their rooms. The moment he was able, Corey made his exit to find Alex waiting for him by the door.

"All right, here I am, what couldn't wait until next weekend?" Alex asked curiously, wondering what sort of exciting adventures her brother might have been into.

"It's… well, come to think of it, I suppose it could have waited," Corey admitted, immediately regretting asking her to meet him. "In fact, why don't we just wait until then, considering how late…"

"Oh, no you don't! It'd be nagging me the rest of the week and I'd probably flunk every test thinking about it! Tell me!" Alex said, taking a few steps in an abandoned corridor so they wouldn't get interrupted.

"All right, I just wanted to ask you something confidentially," Corey said in a low voice, looking in her dark eyes speculatively.

"I won't tell anyone, as long as you tell me!" Alex promised.

"I just wanted to know, well, if your friend Rose was seeing anyone, I mean, seriously," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Alex paused for a long moment and stared at him, then she let out a quiet chuckle and shook her head.

"No, she's not actually seeing anyone…"

"What? Why did you hesitate, is there something wrong?" Corey asked.

"No. Yes. Sort of," Alex said, looking at her anxious brother thoughtfully. "Are you really that interested in her? I mean, you never seemed to notice her before."

"Never mind that, I want to know what you mean by 'No yes sort of,'" Corey said impatiently.

"Not until you tell me the truth," Alex said firmly. "After all, she is my best friend, and you're only my big brother…"

"Only?"

"…whom I would never betray his confidence if he actually told me something worth confiding," Alex coaxed.

"Fine, then I will say that under different circumstances and were she well away from Hogwarts with no connections to anyone, I might be tempted to meet her casually, yes," Corey said, not liking the growing smile on Alex's face one bit. "I'm sorry, that's the best I can do. Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"Corey, Rose is in love with someone, she has been for years… since the first year I've met her in fact," Alex said. Corey's face dropped only a second later than his chest.

"Oh, I see. For that long? That is serious," Corey murmured.

"To be perfectly honest, we were all hoping she'd get over it," Alex admitted. "Especially me. You have no idea what I've gone through because she had to go and fall in love with someone who doesn't exist."

"What? What do you mean by that?" Corey blinked. Alex grinned at him.

"Because she's in love with Athos," Alex said bluntly.

Corey's legs gave way from underneath him.


	14. Bladefall

Chapter Fourteen

Bladefall

Severus was relieved to finally get to his room and settle in, but soon realized with some annoyance that Jennifer wasn't going to do so quietly.

"I've never seen Moody so fascinated by anything as he was this afternoon," Jennifer chuckled. "Apparently from what I read he had seen signs of the children getting around on some other occasion and the vault was the last piece of the puzzle. I really don't think we have to worry about him though… maybe it's just as well. Aurelius wasn't too happy about it, of course. Did you see Alicia hanging with Morfinn again tonight? I wonder if they're just friends or if she really likes him."

"Morfinn Bliant?" Severus yawned.

"Yes, of course, what other Morfinns are in this school," Jennifer said with amusement as she finished filling Ratfly's tray and groomed his scruffy coat a couple of times before heading towards the wardrobe.

"I highly doubt either of them are either old enough or interested enough to be more than friends. Alicia is too absorbed in her painting, and Morfinn is too absorbed in whatever chronic disease he chooses for the week."

"Yes, I suppose," Jennifer said, then paused to change out of her robes. Severus was nearly asleep when she suddenly began to talk again. "Alex and Xavier make a cute couple, don't they? I said as much to Essie tonight, but when she looked at them, she got a rather lost expression on her face that I couldn't read well and she said, 'Oh, that poor boy,' and then when she noticed me again, she said, 'I'm afraid it's not going to last much longer.' But why do you suppose they'd break up? From what I read, I'm not even sure that Essie knows except that something dreadful is going to come between them. I hope Alex is going to be all right."

"Teenage relations hardly ever last, you know that, Jennifer," Severus said irritably. "Are you coming to bed or not?"

"Severus," she began again as she slipped under the covers. Severus sighed. "Did you notice anything odd about Corey tonight? When I was watching him, I kept getting the feeling that he was trying to hide his thoughts… not from me, you understand, but from himself. Like he was avoiding something. What do you suppose is bothering him?"

"Jennifer, I am beginning to believe that the only reason you go to these school events anymore is to pick up gossip about our children," Severus said accusingly.

"Well, of course, Severus," Jennifer agreed with a grin. "Since I can't read them, a mother has to be inventive. Don't you ever wonder what our children are up to?"

"Yes, but I prefer to use subtler methods," Severus said, waving the candles out. Immediately they sprang to life again.

"Are you trying to tell me that I can't be subtle?" Jennifer challenged him, her eyes studying his as if waiting for even the slightest provocation. Severus gazed at her thoughtfully, tiredly tossing it around in his mind.

"No, you probably can't be, no," Severus said, turning over and waving the candles out. "Good night." Jennifer sat there with her jaw opened in surprise at the straight answer and couldn't think of a reply other than a straight protest. But when she finally formed a reply in her defense, Severus began to snore. Hurrumphing to herself she flopped over irritably, frowning.

"Well if I'm not subtle, how did I end up with someone like you," she murmured indignantly, but only received another snore in response.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Alicia declared.

Andrew half expected her to start stamping her feet as she did when she was little, so pouting was her expression that morning when she walked her other siblings to the bus to Hogsmeade.

"It's not like I would get lost in Hogsmeade, or that I haven't been there hundreds of times! Why can't second years go too?" she demanded.

"I don't know, Alicia, rules are rules," Andrew sighed. "Come now, we all had to wait our turns. And it's only for one more year."

"I'm tired of getting left behind," she complained again.

"Well, she could always come join us, couldn't she?" Halbert asked in a low voice, immediately getting hushed by Andrew. Aurelius glared viciously at him, jerking his head towards where Xavier and Alex were in front of them. Fortunately, Alex was already on a roll, and Xavier was too busy trying to stay focused on her prattling without drifting to really pay attention to the tantrum behind them.

"She couldn't anyhow. Father would be on her in a second," Aurelius hissed softly. "Now be quiet and watch what you say around others!"

"I was only trying to help," Halbert muttered.

"I'm afraid there's just no helping it," Andrew said apologetically. "Don't worry, we'll bring you plenty of frogs and butterflies from Honeydukes," he promised, waving to her before catching up to Halbert. Sulkily, Alicia went inside to find Morfinn and Zack. "Poor Alicia. It's not easy being last all the time."

"Well, we'll find her something special then," Halbert said impatiently. "Come on, Andrew! It's not right we ruin our first trip to Hogsmeade thinking about it. It's our turn now, and I want to go everywhere!" Andrew smiled slightly, following Halbert into the bus and allowing himself to get caught up in enthusiasm. There was little doubt in his mind that no store would be left unexplored that day.

It was an unusually warm autumn that year. Jackets brought soon found themselves over the shoulders or miniaturized and stuffed in pockets as the students hit the shops and the teachers who had either chosen to come or got stuck chaperoning filtered into the Three Brooms. Stock had made a point to try to avoid the sports shop, but as he and Aurelius passed by on their way to Honeydukes he heard his named called out.

"Wait up, Stock!" Heph said again then pulled them close. "Hey, want to make some spending money?"

"Oh, dry up, Heph…"

"No really, Stock!" Heph said emphatically, then looked around, lowering his voice again. "See, Eigil is giving away a whole galleon to every Slytherin willing to help chip in and buy an item for him."

"He's giving away money if we spend money on him?" Aurelius said dubiously.

"Well…let me start over. Eigil found out about Toby's Trinkets, you know about the one item thing, but he saw all sorts of things he wanted. So he asked me to pass the word that if anyone's willing to give up their one item today and get something off of his list, he'll pay us each a galleon, so since we get to chose how much we pay in there, I'd say we'd all be making a fair profit, don't you?" Heph grinned.

"Makes sense to me," Stock agreed, but Aurelius shook his head.

"I don't know, Heph, I don't think Toby seems like someone who'd be easy to throw wool over his eyes." Aurelius said.

"I thought you didn't like Toby, Rel," Stock said.

"I don't, really, but I just get the feeling that it won't work," Aurelius said.

"Suit yourself. What do you think, Stock?"

"Well, I think I want to look around first to see if there isn't something I want before I agree to it. I do have a few coins on me, and if I were to spend them, I'd think it'd be better off there where I knew I'd be getting my money's worth," Stock mused, glancing at Aurelius. "What do you think, you want to hit Toby's first?"

"Fine," Aurelius sighed. "But I'm not spending all day there."

"Just a quick look around," Stock promised, the three of them heading in that direction. But a large number of students had gathered in front of the door, grumbling at a sign on the door that read, 'Gone to lunch.'

"Just our luck! The old man decided to take an early lunch today of all days!" Heph scowled.

"Odd, really. Never seen him walking about outside of the shop before," Aurelius mused.

"Well Eigil's going to want an answer. So what do you think, guys?"

"I'm out," Aurelius said. "I don't want Hauk's money, and even if I don't get anything, it's better than helping his wicked schemes."

"This from the one who took money from Lucius Malfoy just to get back at his brother," Heph retorted, Aurelius' face turning red with anger. "What about you, Stock?" Stock hesitated only a moment, and then nodded.

"All right. It's not like it's anything illegal, Rel, we're all still getting one item, and it's our choice what that is and who we give it to afterwards. I'm in," Stock agreed.

"Excellent," Heph grinned. "Well, we might as well find Eigil while we're waiting for Toby then." Reluctantly, Aurelius followed behind with his hands in his pockets, wondering how hard it would be to sneak off to Keki's Grove to see the only being outside of his family he trusted anymore.

Eigil Hauk happened to be standing outside the sports shop with several others that were hoping to earn some extra spending money. He looked up as Heph approached, smiling and nodding at him.

"I brought you another one, Hauk. Stock's interested in helping as well," Heph said.

"And vut about you, Snape?" Eigil asked, gazing at him skeptically.

"No thanks, I have better things to do with my time," Aurelius said indignantly.

"Like plot against your family, do doubt," Eigil said snidely. Aurelius, who had heard already one too many jibe that day finally lost his cool, his coloring growing strangely pale in the face and pink in the cheeks and ears, his knuckles white from clenching them.

"Shut up, Eigil! Shut up about things you don't know anything about!" Aurelius snarled. Heph and Stock gazed at him with surprise and alarm, but Eigil laughed.

"Or vut? You vill use your dark spells on me? You vould be expelled for sure, und dis time not come back, I t'ink. I know, I could fight you like a man…if you were vun. But you are not'ings but a tiny bug. You had better run, for housemate or not I vill squish you under my boot."

"Leave the kid alone, Hauk!" Aurelius looked up in surprise to see Conner Donovan, Stewart and Mandria standing there, Mandria and Stewart glaring at Hauk with dislike. "Why don't you try picking on someone your own size!" Conner finished. The rest of the color drained from Aurelius' face.

"If I ever meet somevun my size, I vill let you know," Hauk said coolly.

"Well, I'm always up for a challenge," Conner said, his eyes flashing dangerously as he stepped up and pushed up his sleeves again.

"Oh, dry up, Conner! How is it that you always manage to make any situation about you?" Aurelius said angrily. "Mind your own business! I can take care of myself!" Conner stared at him in disbelief.

"Yes, Gryffindor, mind your own business!"

"When I see some big brute like you picking on a little guy I make it my business!" Conner snapped. "Stand aside, Wart!"

"Vart? Vut is vart?" Eigil asked.

"You've also been just as much as a goon as he is! I'm not going to have you sticking up for me!" Aurelius said, pushing him away. "Especially since I can bloody well take care of myself!"

Just then he felt a sharp pain to the back of his leg and went sprawling to the ground, and realized his stupid mistake in turning his back to Eigil even for a moment. But then his reflexes kicked in and he covered his head as both Conner and Stewart charged, and before Aurelius knew it he was in the middle of a full fledged brawl as Gryffindors and Ravenclaws rushed over to help and the other Slytherins around Eigil started in. People kept jumping over him, and Aurelius was almost afraid to get up, frantically attempting to flail off getting stepped on.

But just as quickly it had started, it stopped… less than a second after Aurelius had heard a sound like the clearing of a throat. How he had heard it over the mayhem that was going on, Aurelius didn't know; but apparently he wasn't the only one who had. All of the students had stopped what they were doing and turned as if some strange force had compelled their undivided attention whether they had wanted to give it or not.

There before them just a few steps away from where he had been watching on the patio of the Dragonwing Deli stood Toby the Tinker… an old, wirey man with a timeless twinkle in his light blue eyes and a sharp wit visible in his wizened face.

"Pardon me," he said in a calm and natural voice, "I'm not really sure any of you would actually be interested, but I have a very firm policy in my store which allows only persons of civilized behavior to enter it. Not that I mind a good brawl now again, of course, who doesn't? But I just thought I should warn you that if you continue this healthy exercise of survival of the fittest, you might not be able to find my shop when I reopen it in an hour. At any rate, that was all I wanted to say, do pardon the intrusion. Please, feel free to continue," Toby said insistently. But instead of resuming, all of the students looked at each other thoughtfully. Eigil spat on the ground, barely missing Aurelius who finally rolled to his knees.

"None of you are vurt' it," Eigil muttered in a low voice and turned to walk into the sports shop, Heph and the others following him. As the rest of the students dispersed, Conner offered Aurelius a hand, Stock coming over as well to check on him.

"You all right, Wart?" Conner asked.

"Fine, no thanks to you," Aurelius said. "I told you not to get involved."

"Well I was only trying to help," Conner said irritably. "I am sorry about what happened, but you could be a little grateful!"

"Pardon me," Toby said, stepping up. "But what was it you called this boy?"

"It wasn't personal," Conner said defensively. "I was just kidding him, tell him, Aurelius, I was just…"

"Yes, yes, yes, but what was the name again?"

"He calls me Wart," Aurelius said with disdain. "And if he does it again, I'm quite like to shove my wand up his…"

"Rel! The shop!" Stock hissed quickly. Conner grinned at him daringly. But Toby, strangely enough, seemed to have missed the exchange completely. He was busy giggling to himself and mumbling to himself in such an odd sort of way that Aurelius suddenly wondered if the old toy maker wasn't just a trifle mad.

"I can't tell you how long it has been since I've heard someone called by that name," Toby said at last, smiling enigmatically at Aurelius. "Come, you must sit down with me while I finish lunch. Have a cup of tea. No, no, I insist," the old man said. Immediately Aurelius found himself following Toby back to the table, a little more than surprised at himself at doing so, wondering what his parents would think. His father hadn't seemed to like the man, and even his mother seemed to approach both the shop and the tinker with open wariness. What was it about the unassuming man that had them both on such guard?

"Have a seat, please! Care for sugar and cream? Now, Mr. Snape, don't be shy, that isn't your way at all. Charge first, ask questions later, and then send regrets much later, that's it, isn't it?" Toby said, and Aurelius frowned at that, knowing it was much closer to the mark than he would like. "So tell me. What sparked that little show of fire just now, hm?"

"Well, see, Eigil Hauk…"

"No, no, no… forgive me, but I don't care about him not even so much to hear about him," Toby said, plopping another spoonful of sugar into Aurelius' cup before nudging it towards him and pausing to think. "What I mean to ask is, just what is it that gets your back up to the point that you would be willing to go toe to toe against someone nearly two feet taller than… I beg your pardon, did I say something?"

"They treat me like a kid, they all do!" Aurelius snapped angrily. "I'm almost fifteen years old! I am at the top of my class in every subject this year, including one with students a year ahead of me, and yet just because I'm under height for my age they treat me the same as they would any snot nosed first year right off the train!"

"Oh! Oh, I see! Goodness, I should have known it in fact, except, of course, that I had never noticed you were…"

"Under height," Aurelius said icily.

"Under height, yes, until you mentioned it just now. I don't usually notice such things, you see. I would rather judge a person by their strengths rather than their weaknesses, even though, I admit that in some cases that is harder to do than others," he said, gazing out towards the shop with a frown. "In some cases, I even admit to failing utterly."

"All the same, it's too bad more people aren't like that. Seems like the only thing anyone notices of me are my shortcomings. And I don't mean just height either," Aurelius glowered, belatedly recognizing the obviously pun. But Toby merely smiled at him gently.

"Let me tell you a story, then, Mr. Snape, about another boy I knew who happened to go by the same nickname I just heard used upon you. He was actually a few years younger than you when I first met him and very small for his age… a lot thinner than you too. He hadn't the benefits that you had either of loving parents and siblings to fight with or rally with as required. Fortunately, however, a wizard came along and well, made sure the boy got on all right. But back the point… he went through a lot of trials as a youth, but as all boys do he grew up enriched by those experiences and ended up turning into a very great man, respected by everyone and never called a Wart again."

"Great," Aurelius said, completely unimpressed by his story. "No really, it's great, but it's the old, 'don't worry, you'll catch up' speech that actually worked on me when I was eleven. And I'm sure he hardly had to deal with his friends constantly bringing up his past mistakes like they were something to hang upon a mantle and display to the world…"

Toby chuckled.

"Don't you think that they didn't," Toby said dryly. "And Aurelius, you should be warned right now that the more respectable one becomes in the eyes of others, the greater the need for people to expose every itsy bitsy flaw they can find. Everyone makes mistakes… the man I spoke of made some very terrible ones. But I always… pardon me… the wizard always advised him that learning from one's mistakes was paramount; while learning to live with them, well that can take some time. And since it is time itself that can cure your ills, I think I have something for you at the shop."

Aurelius blinked at him as the tinker winked at him and got up, quickly paying his bill and gesturing for him to follow. Aurelius had a strange sensation run through him… it was the momentary questioning of himself whether or not this was a wise thing to do, but curiosity gave way and he went along. After all, he was just an old tinker, what harm could he be?

Jennifer wasted no time when they arrived just after lunch to make her way to Minerva McGonagall's dress shop, Lasting Impressions. The shop was already full of curious students who greeted Minerva happily.

"You'll find most of the student robes and dress robes through the doorway to your right," she directed them when they began to gape at the prices in the showcase room. "Jennifer!" she exclaimed when they came in, giving her an expression of mocking disapproval. "What are you thinking bringing Severus in here! Do you want to ruin my budding reputation?"

"I'm so sorry," Jennifer laughed, "but he just won't let me leave him behind when I'm shopping."

"Someone has to keep a handle on her clothing expenditures," Severus said dryly.

"Well, I still haven't used up my birthday credit, so you're safe for now," Jennifer chuckled at him. "Minerva I have got to have a new dress cloak! And maybe a robe or gown to match it. I don't suppose you carry shoes as well?"

Severus let out a loud sigh, wondering if he had a book in his pocket. No, that would only give him a headache, and that was the last thing he needed on a Hogsmeade day. But his interest was soon drawn to the next room as an unusual amount of students hurried out of it with horrified looks on their faces.

"Madame McGonagall!" Shelly got out, her face pale. "The mirror… there's something wrong with the mirror in there!"

"Oh, dear, not again!" McGonagall said with exasperation. "No, don't go in there, Jennifer, it's best if you let me handle this," she said, storming through the door with a determined look on her face. Jennifer peered in until Severus' arm appeared in front of her and she looked over him at annoyance.

"Getting involved?" he asked in a low voice, and Jennifer grimaced at him and moved his arm. What visage of horror Minerva saw, Jennifer had little glimpse of, but she didn't miss her paling face despite the older witch's grim resolve as she cast a spell, calling a spectral figure into the room. It was a very old woman in a nightcap, her face caved in and full of fury and hatred as it launched itself at her angrily.

"I told you, Regretta, not during business hours!" Minerva said. "Into the attic!" she ordered, casting the banishing spell. With a terrifying screech vowing for revenge, the disagreeable ghost zoomed up through the ceiling. "Sorry about that, she can be trying."

"Actually I was surprised you even took this shop knowing she was here," Jennifer admitted with a grin.

"Oh, nonsense. I wasn't going to pass up a prime location just because of one little nuisance such as that. Besides, I rather think after the commotion at Hogwarts it would be rather dull here without her," Minerva said in an almost wistful tone. Jennifer realized from that one glance that Minerva had been rather lonely since she had left, and in some strange way, the horrid ghost had become a sort of companion for her. Jennifer made a mental note to herself to visit more often. "But come, she's gone now, so let's see what I can come up with for you."

But just then Alex burst in the door, followed by Xavier who looked about as thrilled to be in there as Severus did.

"Mother! I was so hoping to run into you here…" Alex began excitedly.

"Professor Craw," Severus snapped at her warningly.

"Right, sorry! Professor Craw! I have got to show you this dress I saw this morning, look it's even in my size, isn't it just delicious?" Alex said, pulling out a beautiful white gown with off the shoulder sleeves and holding it up to herself.

"I believe that would make for a rather expensive lunch," Severus said. "Probably filling though."

"Oh, honestly! Xavier likes it, don't you Xavier?"

"You would look good in anything, Alexandria," Xavier said in such a tone that Severus gave him a dirty look.

"There, you see, he likes it. What do you think M… I mean, Professor Craw. Do you suppose I might find it under the tree this year?"

"Better under it than on it," Severus said expressionlessly. Xavier began to snicker but stopped abruptly when Alex threw them an icy look.

"Men have no business in this store!" Alex declared.

"I beg your pardon, I do have male clients as well," Minerva said, glancing at the cloak on the wall. "I have a fitting coming that's a bit overdue. Professor Singh, as a matter of fact."

"I didn't mean any offense, Madame McGonagall," Alex assured her apologetically. "What do you think, Professor? Don't you like it?"

"I don't know, Alex, it seems like we're always buying you clothes, even more than Andrew though stars know he grows out of them faster. Don't you have any money left over from working this summer? What did you spend that on?" Jennifer asked knowingly.

"Well, clothes," Alex murmured, then protested more loudly, "And the television set for your birthday! Really, Professor, surely you know such Muggle things cost a lot!"

"You have a television set?" Minerva said with amusement, leaning over to Jennifer. "I thought you told me you hated those things."

"All right, Alex, we'll think about it," Jennifer said with a sigh, nodding to Minerva sheepishly. Severus frowned disapprovingly at her. "But you need to think about what you're going to say for your interview and come to some sort of rational decision, and soon," Jennifer chided her.

"I have too much pressure on me to decide as it is," Alex complained. "How can I possibly make such a decision that is so important it will probably mold the course of the rest of my entire life if I'm not properly dressed for it?"

"She's definitely your daughter," Minerva said to Jennifer with a smile, Jennifer glaring at her in return.

"There can be no doubt of that," Severus agreed, refusing to look directly at his wife when the look came bearing down on him as well. Just then, Andrew and Halbert came in.

"Oh good, I was hoping you were here! Can I have some money for lunch?" Andrew asked.

"What is it today with you kids? Do we look like we're made of money?" Jennifer said with exasperation. "What happened to the money you had?"

"I spent it at Honeydukes," Andrew admitted.

"And where are you parcels?"

"We ate it all. Except for what I saved for Alicia."

"Sure you have room for more?" Severus asked sarcastically, putting a few sickles in his hand. "I'm surprised your brother isn't in here as well."

"No, I saw him having lunch earlier with Mr. Toby," Andrew said. Jennifer and Minerva suddenly froze and stared at him, Severus' eyes flashing dangerously. "We just passed them, actually, they were heading for the gift shop."

Severus immediately darted out the door; Andrew looking after him with a puzzled expression while Jennifer let out a loud sigh and shook her head.

"What in the world was that all about?" Alex wanted to know.

"Alexandria, this is one of those things that even I won't get involved in," Jennifer said firmly, guiding her over to the regular robes.

Toby politely but firmly let the rest of the students know he wasn't quite ready to open, escorting Aurelius in.

"Right over here, Aurelius, I have the very thing for you," Toby said, showing him over to the counter. He bent over and took out a box setting it on the counter as he took out a pair of dusty black shoes. "These, I think, will suit you just fine."

Aurelius looked at him skeptically, dusting one off and looking inside the sole.

"Well, they're nice shoes, I suppose, but they're far too big for me," Aurelius said.

"So they are, right now," Toby smiled at him enigmatically. "But just because you can't wear them now doesn't mean you'll never need them. I have a feeling, Mr. Snape, that if you set these at the bottom of the wardrobe next to your regular shoes that there will come a day when you will need these, and when that day comes you will be very glad they are there. And by that time you will have probably learned that it is much harder… and more rewarding… to fill your own shoes than to try to fill anyone else's. It's one thing to learn to respect the perspective of others, but not at the expense of your own," he said, putting the lid on the box. Aurelius gazed at him with a blank look on his face, but nodded politely. He turned when her heard a noise at the door to see his father standing in the door with an expression that reminded Aurelius of a snake ready to strike. "And here comes the only person I know who needs to learn that lesson even more than you do," Toby said with a wink.

"Aurelius, what are you doing in here?"

"Now don't get mad at the boy, Severus, I asked him to come," Toby assured him. "I merely wanted to give him a new pair of boring normal charmless but well-made shoes, and since I don't think I'll see any of you again until after the holidays, I thought I'd give them to him now."

"Oh? And where are you going?" Severus asked suspiciously.

"Me? Why nowhere. I merely need to restock, but I'm afraid you won't be here when I reopen…"

"And why not? Where else would we be?" Severus asked.

"We usually spend a lot of time over the holidays across the street at Corey's shop," Aurelius explained.

"Yes, I'm sure, but I've afraid you won't have time to… Severus, you keep interrupting me, you really need to get out of that habit, you know… ah here it is," Toby said cheerfully, taking out a black dragonhide spectacles case and handing it out to him. Severus stared between the case and Toby warily. "It's quite all right, Severus, they're your prescription. You really are the suspicious sort, aren't you?" he said in a chiding tone. Severus merely frowned at him, not making a move to take it. "I'm sure there are worse things than being blind all one's life because one hadn't the sense to protect himself from the severe eyestrain one puts himself through, but I'm sure I wouldn't recommend it, especially considering that lovely wife of yours," he said. Toby's expression was quite merry, but his eyes were serious. "You know you have the potential to have an incredibly long, rich, and rewarding existence, Severus. But if you don't acknowledge your humanity, the gift that has been given to you will have all rights been wasted. Don't let a silly matter of pride keep yourself from taking care of yourself. Magic can only do so much, don't you know."

"And yet I note that you are still here," Severus said curtly, earning only an amused smile from the tinker as he held out the case again and Severus finally accepted it.

"Don't strain yourself too hard over that puzzle," Toby said with amusement. "Do be a good chap and turn the sign back around on your way out. I fancy the students are practically ready to ram down the door to get in here as it is."

"That's the most frightening thing I think you've pointed out to date," Severus said seriously, but despite his reluctance, Aurelius watched curiously as his father took the dismissal without an argument, opening the door and gesturing for Aurelius to get out, a scowl on his face as they walk out into the street and the other students began to stream in.

"Alex said she read a book once where people went in a shop like that and found what they needed, and the proprietor turned out to be the devil," Aurelius said thoughtfully, hoping to get a hint to what had just happened.

"I'm not so sure that analogy is as far off as I would like," Severus admitted, turning broody as they met back up with Jennifer.

Just as the three of them were heading to the Three Brooms, Alex and Xavier came out of it, both of them quite weary of the crowds and shopping.

"There has got to be somewhere around here we can slip off to," Xavier said, leading her down a side street.

"Why don't we go take a walk in Keki's Grove?" Alex suggested.

"No," Xavier chuckled. "No, I know what happens when you go there, and I don't want to see her."

"Oh, but Xavier, how can you say that? It's because you haven't seen a Unicorn, that's how! Esta is amazing, really!"

"I'm not going to sully the name of Head Boy and Head Student of Slytherin house by getting anywhere near a Unicorn in any way shape or form. I have a reputation to keep!" Xavier protested.

"Well, what about my brother's reputation?" Alex challenged him, frowning when Xavier chuckled at her and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Alex, I didn't mean to laugh, but your brother's reputation right now is a bit of a joke. Slytherin doesn't forgive or forget. Aurelius is trusted by few and liked by even fewer. Even his own friends won't stand by him, and no one's likely to forget the humiliation the house went through when he got expelled last year."

"But that was just a sham!" Alex protested.

"A sham no one in the house had been informed of."

"Oh, Xavier, even you weren't informed of it, surely you don't expect your silly house to know more about what's going on with Aurelius than we do," Alex complained.

"Actually, Alex, that's exactly what I expect," Xavier said, stopping at the base of the hill near the ruins. "Really, how did we get on this subject? I didn't want to find somewhere alone to discuss your brother." Alex sighed, gazing warily at the look on Xavier's face. She nodded then, feeling a bit awkward after putting her temper on hold.

"So, why did you, then?" Alex asked quietly, glancing around nervously and stepping closer to the buildings, feeling like they were being watched. She knew it she was probably just being paranoid with her parents so close.

"Do you need to ask?" Xavier grinned, pulling her close to him.

"Hey, watch where you're putting your hands!" Alex scolded him.

"Do you really want me to? I mean I wouldn't mind…"

"What if one of my brothers track us down?" Alex reminded him.

"Well, one I can bribe, the other… we'll just tie him up or something," Xavier decided, Alex merely chuckling at him as he pulled her in for a kiss.

But just as Alex was closing her eyes, Xavier suddenly pushed her down and in surprise she cried out, fighting against him as he tried to shield them from something that had just flew overhead. Quickly he got to his feet and pulled out his wand, and what Alex had been about to say to him died on her lips when she realized they had company. A gang of goblins wearing hoods and strange war-like masks came from around both sides of the building. That was when Alex saw the dagger sticking out of the wall near where they had been standing.

"Alex, Apparate out! It's not you they want," Xavier murmured to her, but the goblins must have heard, because they began chuckling.

"So sure of that, are you, Platt?" One of them sneered. "She's as much a danger to us as you are."

"You've got that right," Alex said, scrambling to her feet and pulling out her wand. "I'm not leaving you with these thugs."

"And how is she a danger?" Xavier said, seemingly ignoring Alex as his eyes and ears stayed alert on their assailants. Alex gave him a dirty look.

"She and any other girl you happen to get involved with, Platt. Your family line ends with you, and we plan to do anything we can to insure that," the goblin said, raising a hand.

Immediately the goblins moved, the two behind them jumping Alex while the other three brought out knives and charged Xavier. But Xavier was expecting it, his reflexes honed just for situations such as these, although perhaps not for three at once… a powerful front kick breaking the wrist of one to disarm him before diving our of the way of the others. But the other two quickly recovered and were on him again and Xavier found himself being pushed back. His wand cast at the ground and a large pool of mud appeared under their feet, dropping them several inches down into the muck while he desperately grabbed the knife that had been thrown and threw, sinking it deep into one of the goblin's thighs, the goblin crying out and landing on his side in pain. With his first instant since the fighting started to spare, Xavier turned around to check on Alex, but then took a longer pause than he should have, for Alex and the other two goblins were gone.

"That was my brother!" The other one snarled, launching himself out of the mud and on top of Xavier, the one with the broken wrist diving for his feet. The flash of a goblin blade caught Xavier's eye and he was certain in that instant it would be the last thing he would ever see.

But just then, a gnarled goblin hand came up from over Xavier's head and clasped around the knife hand of the other. A dark robe of more ornate decoration fell around his arm, and that rather than his face made Xavier realize it was none other than his mentor, the Librarian of Hogwarts. With incredible strength that few knew him capable of, Boulderdash forced the knife away, pushing the goblin back and intentionally stepping on the hand of the other underneath him, giving Xavier the opportunity to scramble out.

"It's one of Coldsprinter's sons!" gritted the one who just had his hand crushed.

"Yes, always good to know exactly who you're dealing with," Boulderdash said, his voice steady despite the exertion he was still placing on the goblin still holding the knife. "This boy's under the school's protection and therefore my own. Care to continue?"

He was answered by receiving an open hand between his eyes as the other goblin worked to arrest his knife hand. Xavier watched with awe until the movements back and forth became too quick for even him to follow.

"Knife!" Boulderdash barked. Spying one lying on the ground, Xavier tossed it up in the air. Boulderdash caught it neatly, and it was not long after it became obvious that the other goblin was no match for the Librarian properly armed. As he paused to try to pull another knife from his boot, Boulderdash caught the action and stopped him, but in the process got a hard knee to the chin, throwing him backwards. Before he could recover, the other goblin suddenly disappeared. Boulderdash chuckled softly to himself. "Well, it appears I am going to live to learn from that mistake," he said, getting up and going over to the goblin who had been hit with the dagger. He was sweating profusely, still clutching the dagger in his leg deliriously.

"Alex! Boulderdash, they took Alex!" Xavier said in a panic, pointing towards the ground. The Librarian turned and looked to where he was pointing, his face turning grim when he realized it was Alex's wand, broken in half.


	15. Cruel Ironies

Chapter Fifteen

Cruel Ironies

"Xavier, I need you to keep your wits, son," Boulderdash said, firmly but not unkindly. "I want you to go to Willowby, tell him to get a first aid kit and a poison kit and while he's getting that tell him what happened, then get those kits back to me. He'll know what to do from there."

"But Alex…"

"Xavier! This goblin is dying! Move!" Boulderdash snapped. The color drained from Xavier's face and he immediately Apparated to in front of Willowby's shop. He had thrown it at his leg intentionally so he wouldn't kill him. How could he be dying? His horror must have been reflected in his face because the shop seemed to come to a pause when he came in, and Corey, who had been intently watching the door anyhow, immediately came out when saw him.

"Boulderdash needs a First Aid and a Poison Kit," Xavier got out, his voice strangely shaky. Corey immediately turned to grab the First Aid off the shelf and tossed it to him without question hurrying back behind the counter to get the other.

"Who's hurt?" Corey asked.

"A goblin… he attacked us, and I… Alex is gone! They took her!"

"Where? Which direction?" Corey said with alarm, shoving the other at him and following him to the door, gesturing for his clerks to take over.

"I don't know, I think they took a Port Key," Xavier said. "By God if they hurt her…"

"Then they'll have the wrath of the entire Snape family to contend with," Corey swore. "Finish your errand! I know someone who may be able to help."

Left with no choice, Xavier hurried out and Apparated to where Boulderdash was, wishing he had been able to go with Corey. But the goblin beside them had taken a grave turn, and Xavier's lips whitened when he saw how bleak things looked.

"Thank you," Boulderdash said, taking them. "Now I want you to Apparate to Honeydukes and go down into the cellar. If anyone says anything, tell them you're on Dumbledore's business. You'll find a trap door there that leads to the school. Bring the Headmaster and the Doctor here without delay. Every second may count!"

"Every second may count for Alex as well!" Xavier said angrily.

"Damn it, Xavier, do as your told! You can't help her now!" Boulderdash growled at him. "Now help me get someone who can help him!"

Xavier Apparated again to find himself in a crowd of people standing outside the shop, starring up at the sky. His eyes craned up to catch sight of drifting sparks of smoke.

"It's their sign, I know it is!" Rose said. "What do you suppose has happened?"

"It's just like what happened the first year we were here," Mandria said back.

"I hope it's nothing like that!" Rose answered. But Xavier had no time to ponder the irony of the remark, hurrying down to the cellar without even a gesture of protest from the clerks as he disappeared into the trap door below.

It was when Danny Brittle suddenly leapt up from the Professors table at the Three Brooms and ran out of the room that Severus knew something major was amiss. Jennifer, who had been discussing Regretta the ghost with Sally looked after Danny curiously, but it wasn't until Corey burst in that Jennifer realized just how bad things were.

"Watch!" Corey said when he got to the table, holding his hand out.

"Corey, what is…"

"There's no time! I need it now!" Corey said, glancing at Jennifer long enough for her to read his gaze.

"Severus, give it to him!" Jennifer said, getting up.

Severus quickly took it from his pocket, but snapped it open so he could look at it before giving it to him. Without a word, Corey ran out of the room, glancing at the watch before Disapparating.

"What did it say?" Jennifer demanded from Severus the moment Corey turned around.

"Alex is in mortal peril. What's going on, what did you see?" Severus asked her.

"She's been kidnapped by the goblins. And one of them was injured!" Jennifer said.

"Then they'll be taking him to Hogwarts," Severus said, getting up. "Come on, perhaps we can find out something from him before Corey has time to triangulate where she is."

"I just hope he's not as injured as Corey thought he was," Jennifer said worriedly as the two of them raced out.

First Apparating by half a mile, then a mile, then ten and twenty, Corey hurried southward, but the compass never moved in any other direction. Finally from frustration did he jump all the way to London, and only then had the compass changed. He grabbed his broom and took to the sky, quite sure now that he was fairly close as he circled the area. But then, unexpectedly, the direction changed pointing northward, and Corey stared at it suspiciously. Did something just throw it off?

He had been not too far from Diagon Alley… and not really all that far, Corey mused, from her house, although it was north of the area he had been picking up. Could the arrow be pointing there now? Corey barely dared to hope; and before long it was clear that it was too far to be anywhere in town. He was torn at first whether to follow the arrow or stay where he was; but his instincts told him to go, so he kicked his broom in gear. In what seemed an interminable time the arrow finally moved again, and when he looked down to see what was there, the answer jumped out like him like a cold slap to the face. Anger flared within him, and it was all he could do to bring the pistol up to call the others to his side as he took to his disguise, knowing that his good friend d'Artagnan was going to be very upset when they arrived just back from the gates of the Malfoy Mansion.

A small dark hand pulled down the paper that Lucius was holding and he sighed, looking over in annoyance at a pair of large black eyes.

"When are you going to be done?" the girl asked primly.

"Now, Mary, you know perfectly well I do not like being disturbed when I'm reading. Finish your lunch."

"But you promised to read to me!"

"Oh, very well. It says here that Rinan Scur still remains at large, despite the attempts from the Ministry…"

"Oh, no, not pole tickets!" Mary protested.

"That's politics, Mary, and I'm sure your father would appreciate it if you learned how to pronounce the word properly," Lucius frowned at her.

"I want to hear Hansel and Gretel again," Mary said.

"Now you know your mother forbade me telling you that story!" Lucius sighed.

"I won't tell this time, I promise! Tell me how the witch burned the nasty little Muggles in the oven again, please?"

"Oh, very well, but if you have any more nightmares, I am going to hear about it," Lucius sighed, reluctantly putting down the paper and taking the picture book that had been waved in front of him.

But it was just as he got ready to open the book that he heard a strange crash as if something had just fallen over.

"Duncan? Pugs! What the blazes are you infernal creatures getting into!" Lucius snarled. But when neither of the House Elves appeared, Lucius wasn't as sure.

"It sounded like it came from the basement!" Mary said, getting up. "I'll go check!"

"No, you stay here. I'll go check," he said, handing the book back to her, tapping the painting just above them. "Send Grissom in here to watch Mary. Something's not right."

"Need further assisstanssse ssssir?" asked the golden cobra in the picture, its ruby eyes flashing.

"If I did I would have asked for it," Lucius snapped and moved out of the breakfast area and into the library, pulling the books in a curious order to get the door to open. But as he stepped down several of the stairs he saw movement and immediately called the lights to ignite. His face immediately turned to horror and he let out a scream in surprise when the crumpled figure lying there suddenly looked at him with a bewildered look on her face.

"GRISSOM!" he bellowed, clamoring back up. "Call the guards! Shell the Ministry! Owl my Counselors! There's a Snape in my basement!"

"I believe we have other concerns at the moment, sir," the burly butler announced somberly. "For there appear to be Musketeers in your study." Malfoy's eyes darted over to the window where the four costumed figures stood, swords at the ready.

"How did you get past my security?" Lucius boomed, pulling out his wand. "You are trespassing, and I have a right to protect myself in my own residence!"

"Justice has no boundary, Monsieur," d'Artagnan said coldly. "You have gone too far this time. What have you done with the girl?"

"I have nothing to do with that!" Lucius growled angrily. "How dare you try to frame me? I'll have you all in Azkaban for this!"

"Grandfather!" The four Musketeers stopped short in surprise when Mary ran in, frightened by all the noise and rushing over to him, her eyes wide when she saw them. "Who are you? Are you bad men?"

"Yes they are!" Lucius snarled.

"No, no we're not!" d'Artagnan said, the other three looking at their leader unsurely. "We are only here to get Alexandria Snape."

"I'm not allowed to talk to Snapes," Mary said in a matter of fact tone.

"Athos, something is very wrong," d'Artagnan hissed softly. "I don't understand why Mary is here."

"What better alibi?" Athos said back "I'm not falling for this ruse! Nobody could have gotten in here without his permission!"

"Well we just did," Porthos pointed out. But Athos didn't listen; instead he stormed down the basement steps despite Lucius' threats to spell him, knowing that the others had him covered. Neither side seemed very keen on the idea of casting a spell with Mary standing there… but despite the butler's attempts to pull the girl away, she wasn't budging from her grandfather's side.

The tense standoff finally ended with Athos appeared again with Alexandria in his arms, her robes crumpled and hair in disarray but otherwise seemingly unharmed.

"Perhaps it is time that someone called the Ministry," d'Artagnan suggested.

"Allow me to do it for you," Lucius said angrily. "For I have a few charges of my own to file."

"So be it," d'Artagnan said. "I have no plans of going anywhere until this is cleared up." Porthos and Aramis looked at him again with the same uncertainty. Arthur Weasley had been quite tolerant of the four vigilantes during the time he was in office. As of yet they had not had any contact with the new Ministry, and everyone knew Draco preferred to handle everything with an iron fist. Was this going to also spell the end for the Musketeers?

* * *

The Ministry was normally quiet and calm during the weekends, but that wasn't the case that day as excited workers from the main office and the Ministry of Goblin Affairs poured into the building, followed by a handful of reporters and a pair of anxious parents, striding straight through towards Draco's office without a single person questioning them. Within the reception room just outside the door stood Athos, Porthos and Aramis with the blank expressions of those who had been waiting for some time, while in a side room Lucius Malfoy spoke in harsh tones with four of his Counselors. Malfoy stopped short when he noticed Severus and Jennifer walk in, stepping back in the room with a stony expression even though his eyes flickered wildly in pure hatred.

"Alex?" Severus asked, looking directly at Athos.

"She is at the clinic, Professor. She was a bit shaken but I do think all right. The Secretary and Auror Moody just went to see if she was ready to come talk about it yet," Athos said. "I believe the Secretary had been planning to send a note to the school saying she was all right."

"Good, Dumbledore would have worried. Is the Minister not here yet?" Jennifer asked.

"Oui, Madame, he is speaking with our leader, d'Artagnan. They have been in there since we first arrived," Athos answered with a sigh.

"He should have seen me first," Lucius growled. "Whatever that charlatan has to say in your defense does not belay the fact that you four broke into my house!"

"We feared for the girl's safety, Monsieur, you gave us no choice," Athos said icily.

"I had nothing to do with this!" Lucius declared venomously. "Someone is intentionally trying to implicate me! And I wonder who could have done it," he said, his eyes darting towards Severus. "Attempting to use your children against me again, Snape?" Severus blinked at him, raising his brows.

"Are you trying to imply to me that I had my own daughter kidnapped?"

"Why not? You had your son expelled in my honor."

"Honor is a word I would never use in the same sentence with your name. Nor would I send goblins to do it on my behalf… something that we all know you have done in the past." Severus said evenly.

"Goblins? What goblins?" Lucius squinted, but the answer was interrupted by the opening of the Minister of Magic's door. Draco Malfoy stepped out, d'Artagnan right behind him. A smile played on the Musketeer's lip, curled under his tight mustache as he glanced at the other three, making them wonder all the more at exactly what had gone on the other side.

"So that explains all the noise out here," Draco said, looking between Lucius and Severus. "I trust you're both being civil?"

"Draco, I want those four costumed thugs arrested for breaking into my house immediately! Their vigilantism is nothing but disguised criminal activity and I demand it be brought to an end and their identities exposed for the good of the public!" Lucius said.

"I am not sure I completely agree with you, Father," Draco said evenly. "I have come to understand that sometimes vigilantism is bred out of necessity. These men came to exist because the Ministry had failed them at a time when they needed them most, and I have come to agree with their reasons for doing so. As for this incident, they were acting in response to what appeared to them to be a criminal activity where as far as they knew a girl's life was at stake. Being that the girl was in your house and that she and her companion were the victims of a violent attack, I think you'll see that there are some mitigating circumstances involved."

"So what you are saying then is the current Ministry is in favor of such reckless vigilantisms? Private citizens taking justice into their own hands regardless of the law?" Lucius challenged.

"No, if you had been listening, I said that was encouraged by the old Ministry. I demand a certain level of control. However, I can appreciate talent when I see it, and therefore after speaking with their leader, I have granted them a commission in my special services, doing what they do best; rescues and retrievals of a delicate nature," he said, twiddling the flare musket in his hand. Aramis, Athos, and Porthos turned to stare at d'Artagnan.

"You could have consulted us first," Porthos said, sounding as if he had been personally injured.

"Your pardon, my friends, but I am afraid I was given little choice. It was that or disband," d'Artagnan said with a thin but apologetic smile.

"Well you could have at least given it some thought," Severus said in annoyance. d'Artagnan and Athos grimaced sheepishly at that. Severus had wanted them to give it up for years.

"And, since they're now under Ministry jurisdiction, any complaints you have about their protocol can be taken up with me…Chester has the necessary forms… but first it's time that we heard a full accounting of what happened this evening. Are you ready, Alexandria?"

Everyone had been so busy watching the exchange between Draco and his father that they hadn't noticed Alastor Moody and Alexandria step into the doorway. Jennifer gave her a hug of mixed exasperation and relief before they all stepped into Draco's office and he had Alex made comfortable in front of him.

"Now, Alex, tell us from the beginning what happened," Draco said, sitting behind the desk.

"Xavier and I were taking a walk near Hogsmeade, behind some of the shops near the hill…"

"What were you doing walking there?" Severus interrupted suspiciously.

"Talking," Alex said carefully, "responsibly." Severus squinted at her dubiously.

"Go on," Draco said, his lip twitching slightly.

"Then all the sudden he pushed me down…he must have heard something, because when I looked up there was a dagger where he was standing and there were five goblins around us. Next thing I know we were in a fight, and one of their knives came down on my wand, and I blacked out."

"And that's when you found yourself in the basement?" Draco asked when she paused.

"No…at least, I don't think so. I think I was taken somewhere else at first."

"Where?" Draco asked, noting that everyone else in the room was just as surprised as he was.

"I don't know. It was really dark… there was some dim light…a thin line of it, like from a covered up window, and there was a man there…at least, I'm pretty sure it was. He was hooded. He asked me if I could understand him, and I answered that I could. And then he had me read something, and after that he looked at me for a long time as if thinking…odd, the voice seemed almost familiar."

"What was it that you read?" Moody asked with interest.

"I'm not sure, something off an old parchment. It sounded like some sort of old adage, something about rich man's wisdom, poor man's wisdom…I don't really remember exactly. But then after that, I remember something in my eyes and everything got hazy again, and the man was gone. Next thing I know, I hear a loud clamor and Mr. Malfoy is staring at me like he was seeing a ghost and then he started calling his guards to get the Ministry and stuff."

"So you would say that he seemed surprised to see you there?"

"Extremely," Alex agreed. "Pardon me for saying it, but I don't think it was fake in any way. He's not that good of an actor, and I don't think Mr. Malfoy would ever even try to feign the fear I saw in his face."

"Alex, I think you've said enough," Severus warned her. Draco was looking at her with amusement, glancing back at his father who was gritting his teeth and glaring at her.

"So noted," Draco said, folding his hands together. "But who was the man you spoke to?"

"Minister Malfoy," Athos said, glancing at Alex. "When I was searching for Alex, the device I had on me to locate her led me at first to the center of London, somewhere near Diagon Alley in fact…but then suddenly the device lead me to the Mansion. It was very much as if she had been taken somewhere else first."

"I see, so we at least have a starting point," Draco said. "I sent Minister Thurspire to Hogsmeade to try to find clues around the crime scene. Auror Moody, perhaps you would be able to see if you can find something to try and collaborate Alex's story."

"Perhaps if I could hear what you read word for word it would help," Alastor said. "I don't suppose you would be obliged to record that one scene within a Pensieve?"

"Confidentially?" Alex said with hesitation.

"Just for Auror business, I assure you, I merely want to see what you read," Alastor assured her. Alex sighed and nodded.

"All right," she agreed.

"Excuse me, Draco, I don't mean to interrupt, but doesn't Alastor have more than his hands full as it is with this Scur business? Perhaps it would be prudent to call in some other Auror…"

"Don't even suggest it, Severus," Draco snapped.

"I can handle it, Severus. If I couldn't, I would say so," Moody said bluntly. "Besides, considering that there are goblins involved in all the other situations we've had so far, I'm wondering if there isn't some sort of connection."

There was a swift knock at the door, and Chester peered in, a bit nervous about interrupting, especially after seeing the irritation on Draco's face.

"I beg your pardon sir, but there's an emergency at the school. Professor Dumbledore has sent word back that he needs to get in touch with Professor Snape as soon as he is able. It seems that the injured goblin that was taken to the school has died," Chester reported somberly.

"Oh dear God," Severus murmured, his face growing pale.

"Oh, that poor boy," Jennifer added, aggrieved.

"Oh shit!" Draco declared, standing up. "Chester, get on the shell! I want the entire goblin department here within an hour. Moody, grab Peasegood! Tell him to get a team to Damon Platt's and get him out of there, use force if necessary! D'Artagnan, do the same at Dominica's flat, I want them both in hiding before the Bank gets a hold of this!"

"Alex, perhaps it'd be better if you waited outside," Jennifer suggested.

"Why is everyone panicking? It was self-defense! Pure self-defense! If he hadn't acted…"

"Alex, please! We know that, all right? Try to understand!" Jennifer said, taking her by the shoulders and leading her out. "Just because it wasn't his fault doesn't mean he's not…well, he's safe at Hogwarts…try to keep that in mind," Jennifer amended. She heard her name and excused herself to speak to Severus, nodding to him and then she stopped to speak to Draco. But it was Chester who finally appeared through the chaos offering a kind, sympathetic smile to the confused, frustrated girl, trying to take in the sheer tension of everyone bustling around her.

"Hello there! I've been instructed to take you to your Aunt Anna's office. Do you know the way?"

"No, I've never been in there," Alex said with resignation.

"It's not far from here. I think you'll find it very comfortable, and even interesting. It's filled with all sorts of human Muggle gadgets and things. You can wait there until your mother's ready to take you back," he smiled, guiding her down a short hallway.

Alexandria plopped down on the plush white couch in the front of the office with resignation, peering with interest at a collection of American Muggle magazines sitting on the wood and glass end table, picking up one of the women's issues and thumbing through it to reach one of the cover articles, grabbing a stencil.

She was halfway through the multiple-choice test on 'How well do you communicate with your significant other,' when a heated voice attracted her attention from the hallway. Her curiosity got the better of her and she stepped out, peering down at the only other office door open and stepping closer, reading the door: Department of Family and Wizard Welfare. Inside, she saw a humongous man of seven and a half feet if not eight, his fist clenched in a threatening manner bellowing down at an elderly, grey-haired witch in purple Council robes and glasses standing next to the tall, lanky, red-haired figure of Percy Weasley.

"Would you please slow down so we can understand you?" Percy said in long, enunciated words.

"Goodness, Percy, it doesn't matter one deuce how slow you say it, he doesn't understand English any more than we understand him! I think it's Russian."

"Or maybe Norwegian. Why don't I go get a translation potion…"

"Are you mad? Leaving me with him? I'll go," the woman said.

"He wants to see his son," Alex interrupted. All three of them stared at her with surprise. "He says he received a restraining order in the mail from this address and he demands to know why and when he can see him."

"Does he have it with him?" the woman asked.

"She wants to know if you have it with you?" Alex asked him. The woman blinked in surprise when the man produced it, thrusting it at the woman.

"Thank you!" she said, and Alex repeated it. "Goodness, how can he understand you and not us?"

"She's an Omnivox it would seem," Percy said, and Alex nodded. "But what are you doing in here? I doubt you should be wandering the halls by…"

"Not now, Percy. This girl has saved us a bit of trouble," the woman said. "This apparently is Kruger Hauk. Honestly, I should have guessed it as many times as I've seen the boy."

"You mean this is Eigil's father?" Alex asked. Immediately, Kruger was above her, giving her such a look but she shrank back a bit.

"You know my son? Where is he? I demand to know where he is!" he snarled.

"Alex!" Percy jumped in between them, pulling her back by the shoulder. "Listen carefully and say exactly what I say. Tell him to have a seat while Mrs. Charming finds his file and that I will go and get some translation potions so we can discuss it and it should only take me about five minutes. Tell him just that," Percy said, and Alex slowly repeated it. Kruger eyed Percy warily as she spoke then gazed at the old woman before finally turning, scowling at the small chairs before finally sitting on the couch, his legs sprawled out and his arms crossed in annoyance.

"Come along, Alex," Percy said then, leading her out. "Well, that could have gone much worse."

"I am sorry! I didn't realize I shouldn't have said anything until it was too late," Alex said sincerely. "I have a tendency to do that on occasion."

"It's all right, no harm done," Percy said. "As it worked out, I suppose you happened along at a good time. But if you ever get into any sort of work involving that talent of yours, you'd do best to learn some discrimination as to what you say and to whom."

"You mean... I mean, do you suppose there's a lot of jobs out there for someone like me?"

"I should think so, yes. Take the Ministry for example, one's always dealing with people of different nationalities, just like any sort of public relations position. Can you translate written material as well?" He asked.

"Yes, anything!" Alex said with interest.

"Well, then, that would also come in handy. I would think any job at all that deals with international interests would welcome that sort of thing…you know… businesses, publishing, travel…"

"Travel!" Alex said happily. "I could be an airline stewardess!"

"Well, you could," Percy grinned, "But I think your parents would kill you. Besides, I don't think you'd be able to hide it from Muggles too long, and I don't need to tell you how quickly that would get you into trouble."

"What? But I worked in the museum this summer…"

"And considering people from all over tour there, you are very lucky you didn't get into trouble," Percy said in an almost scolding tone.

"But if that's true I may not be able to work with Muggles at all then!" Alexandria said with such distress that Percy paused to look at her curiously.

"Well, I wouldn't on a permanent basis if I were you, no," he agreed. "Why does it matter?"

"Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be able to work a Muggle job, maybe even live in a Muggle house with gadgets and VRC's that play movies and electric games and books and everything! This is an absolute tragedy! The one thing I'm actually good at is the very thing that would keep me from it!" she rambled on, her expression turning to one of pure horror then became thoughtful. "Maybe if I tried to pass myself off as a deaf mute or something…"

"You would never be able to do it," Percy chuckled. "I may not know you very well, but I know you enough to say that you would never ever pull that one off," he said, fumbling for the keys to the potions' closet.

"Alex!" The two glanced up to see Jennifer coming down the hall, shaking her head, with a large sparkling bowl in her arms. "I thought you were asked to wait in your Aunt's office."

"I had a feeling someone would be coming for her soon," Percy said. "Thanks for the help, Alex."

"Moody is going to meet us in here when he's done," Jennifer said, leading her back to the office. "This Pensieve is mine, but don't worry, it's empty at the moment."

"Are you going in too?" Alex said anxiously.

"No, not if you don't want me to. I'm merely supervising since you're underage," Jennifer said. "Why, is there something in there you don't want me to see?" Alex shrugged and giggled nervously.

"Would you want your father in your head?" Alex asked. Jennifer grimaced.

"Okay, you have a point. I won't argue," Jennifer said. Alex grinned.

Once they got inside it was quite apparent that Jennifer wasn't very talkative; in fact, she was unusually broody, glancing at her mirror distractedly. Alex contented herself to finishing the quiz and scowling when she saw she got the lowest score. There could be little doubt that Muggles didn't know everything if they thought she couldn't communicate!

Finally, Alastor Moody came in, his face red and wearing thick gloves and a damp, furry, overcoat, looking so out of place in the unusually warm autumn that Alex couldn't help but wonder at it.

"Well?" Jennifer asked. Moody hesitated, glancing at Alex before nodding.

"They're safe for the moment. Not happy, but safe."

"Not happy?" Jennifer asked curiously.

"I'll tell you about it later," Alastor murmured before he nodded to the bowl on the coffee table. "Are you ready then, Alex?"

"I'll just…browse one of these," Jennifer said, making a grab at the magazines. "Alexandria knows what to do, Auror Moody."

"Right," Alex said nervously. So she had been shown once…did she really remember what to do?

"Just take yourself back to when the fight started, we'll go from there," Auror said calmly. Alex carefully thought of the moment just after they got jumped, pulling the memory out with her wand until the time she got to the Ministry. Within no time she found herself inside, watching with a strange eeriness as the dagger landed in the wall above them and she saw herself pull her wand. But she soon became distracted by the intense look on Auror Moody's face as he watched the scene, frowning when he saw her forced back and the small phial that one of them put under her nose. The memory faded to darkness, and his intensity grew as Alex looked once again upon the scene in the dark room.

The hooded figure of a man stood before her, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood; neither of the goblins that had taken her could be seen.

Alastor frowned when the man spoke, for it came out in English! Of course, he murmured to himself with frustration. He had been hoping at a clue to the language, but from Alex's memory, it would have, of course, come out as she had understood it.

"Do you understand me?" the man asked. Alastor tried to file away the voice in his mind.

"Yes."

"I want you to read this. Read it out loud so I know that you understand it," the man said. Alastor stepped closer to get a better view.

"A rich man's wisdom is never questioned. A poor man's wisdom is seldom realized until proven. Whose judgment shows the path to true enlightenment?" Alex said. The hooded man paused then, puzzling over what she spoke, his gazed fixed upon her as he mulled it over, then carefully laid the parchment down, puffing a bit of Sleepsand directly in her face. But the Auror's last look at the parchment was even more puzzling, before he found himself standing with a bright light behind them, followed by the presence of Lucius Malfoy who began screaming at the top of his lungs.

Jennifer quickly pretended to be paying attention to her magazine, but Alastor knew the moment they had returned back into the present that she had studied him hard the instant they had begun to come out of it.

"Thank you, Alexandria. That was quite enlightening. In fact, in some ways I think it gave me more questions than answers."

"Really? What did you see? Did you recognize the man? Where did the goblins go? How do you suppose he got into Malfoy's basement? Do you think he was working for him? What was so important about…"

"Alexandria! Slow down! Goodness, give the man time to breathe!" Jennifer scolded. But Alastor knew the attempt to stop her was only half hearted, for Jennifer was waiting impatiently to hear more of the matter too.

"I have enough information to go on for now, you may put it back," Alastor said, both of them looking a bit disappointed when they realized he wasn't going to tell them anything. "And, this may be a bit untoward request, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn't show that or speak of it to anyone else for now, no matter who asks, until I have more to go on. It's for her own safety," he added to Jennifer, who was frowning deeply. "The less people who know about the specifics the better, since for all we know the mastermind behind this could be anyone… and whoever it is, must be someone that has encountered her before."

"Someone who knows her?" Jennifer frowned.

"Oh, there can be no doubt about that," Alastor said seriously. "Since it was Alex, not Xavier, who was the actual target all along."

* * *

Dumbledore was pacing the length of his office when Severus came in. Severus and Dumbledore exchange a somber look with each other upon entry.

"Care to take over?" Dumbledore offered.

"Delighted to," Severus grumped.

"Thank you, these old muscles could use a break," Dumbledore said, going over to sit in his chair with a long sigh and watched as Severus began to pace the floor. A few minutes later Jennifer came in, looking between them before taking a chair herself, well out of the way of Severus' feet.

"I suppose it'd be too much to ask for some good news?" Dumbledore finally asked.

"Damon and Dominica have safely arrived at their temporary home," Jennifer said. Severus glanced at her.

"Home? Not homes? I thought they were in a trial separation," Severus said.

"Well, yes, they are, but Alastor says there was hardly enough time to pick a second location, and he didn't like the idea of having to spread out manpower to look after them," Jennifer sighed. "They're just going to have to put up with it, at least until things cool down. How is Xavier?"

"I gave him a potion and sent him to his dorm," Severus said, pacing again. "He is one very angry young man at the moment, and I can hardly blame him."

"No, nor can I," Dumbledore said, strong lines of worry across his brow. "I was so sure he was going to make it… that he was going to graduate at the top of his class with no blot of that terrible curse of his family anywhere upon him. What a cruel fate has been placed upon that family that such a thing would happen when he strived so hard to keep it at bay!"

"It wasn't fate," Severus said grimly. "It was arranged by someone… someone taking no chances. Every dagger had poison on it… if they didn't kill him it was almost certain he would have been forced to kill one of them. Either way, it was doomed from the beginning."

"That's not the worst part of it," Jennifer murmured. Severus stopped short, looking over at her in surprise. "Alastor's convinced that all of what happened to Xavier and Malfoy was merely for the benefit of getting to talk to Alex."

"To split the attention of the Ministry," Severus said his face dark with the realization. "With one quick swoop, whoever is responsible has managed to not only get the information he wanted but send his enemies in chaos… not to mention set us against each other; with goblins and the Ministry poised to attack and the Minister's father on the verge of challenging every person on his hate list for doing this to him. What was it the man asked her, Jennifer?"

"To read something… a riddle off of an old parchment," Jennifer said. "I don't know what the exact wording was. Alastor asked Alex to keep it quiet…"

"Yes, I'm sure that will work," Severus said dryly.

"But from what I read from him, it sounded like it came down to a question of which path to take, and Alastor thought it sounded like the key to some sort of map. But there was something strange about the parchment that puzzled him…I'm not sure what it was." Severus scowled again, stomping and stamping as he resumed pacing again.

Just then there was a knock and Boulderdash came in, looking even more mottled than normal as he stepped over to the desk, avoiding Severus' path as he did so.

"Well?" Dumbledore asked.

"The reaction is just as expected, sir. The bank has signed a formal letter of outrage at the Ministry's declaration that Xavier's actions were in self-defense. They said it was too soon to come to such a conclusion and have formally condemned the proceedings."

"But you were there!" Jennifer protested. "Surely they believe one of their own if no one else!"

"Jennifer, I'm sure you've learned by now just how critically I'm viewed at the bank, brother or no brother…in fact he's not in great favor either at the moment. And there's another fact that they weren't interested in that your friend Minister Thurspire was quite intrigued by…"

"I trust you use the term friend loosely," Severus said tersely as he turned to pace the other way.

"And that was that even though they have no maker's marks, the dagger used in Brad's murder and the ones in the attack on Xavier and Alex were made by the same hand."

Severus stopped cold again.

"Are you certain?"

"Quite certain, Severus," Boulderdash assured him. "We both spent years in father's shop, and to me they read as distinctly as a fingerprint. I do not know who the maker is… but they are flawed as if from inexperienced hands, as if made by an apprentice rather than a master, and it would explain the lack of a seal. But who and how such a thing got into such hands is a mystery."

"Another mystery upon a slew of mysteries! And I've had quite the fill of them," Severus said, glancing between them.

"I'm quite sure the Ministry is doing everything it can, Severus."

"The Ministry has its hands full and we all know it," Severus said.

"And so do you, Severus," Dumbledore reminded him. "Xavier is going to need both you and Boulderdash if we are to get him past the next few months."

"Besides, we weren't going to get…"

"Well, that was before our daughter was dragged into this," Severus said, cutting Jennifer off. "And I'm not suggesting that I personally get involved, but I am not about to stand here and watch this go any farther without doing something. I think it's time we hired someone to privately look into things," he finished, his black eyes sparkling dangerously as he gazed over at Dumbledore. For the first time that day, a smile crept upon Dumbledore's face. "What do you suppose Potter is working on these days?"

"I'll have him here in less than an hour," Dumbledore assured him, pulling over a piece of owl stationary.


	16. Evasive Maneuvers

Chapter Sixteen

Evasive Maneuvers

It wasn't until the next afternoon that Rose finally caught up with Alex, her eager face betraying what was on her mind before she even spoke.

"So, are you all right? I heard you were of course, but I'm so glad to see you! Is it true that the Musketeers were the ones that saved you?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Yes, although I'm not sure I was in any real danger, it was Xavier who almost got killed," Alex reminded her, looking around the Great Hall worriedly. "Hasn't he come in yet? I haven't seen him since yesterday."

"I only saw him when Snape walked him back to his rooms yesterday, but I'm sure he's all right," Rose said. "Perhaps a bit in shock over what happened… I bet he's going to be so glad to see you!"

"Really?" Alex said with a frown. "You know, it's strange but I almost think he's been avoiding me. I missed him completely at breakfast… neither he nor Boulderdash were working in the library, and every time I ask one of his classmates about him they just tell me he has a lot on his mind. Well, he has to come to the Great Hall sometime! Really, I'm quite worried about him."

"He just needs time, Alex," Mandria said gently. "It can't be easy learning to live with causing someone's death like that…yes, of course I know it was self defense. But I don't think that makes it any easier."

"I'm sure he'd feel better if he talked to someone about it! I know it always makes me feel better!" Alex said.

"Well, we'll listen to you talk about it," Rose assured her. "After all, I went through something similar myself, you know! Of course they were after the diamonds in my case, but just like now everyone thinks that Malfoy was behind it…"

"But that's just it, nobody's convinced of that at all, at least not at the Ministry," Alex said. "It's like the whole thing was made to look like it was him! I think he was set up."

"Really?" Rose said with a frown. "Well, what does Athos think? Did he say anything?"

"Athos! Athos! Athos!" Mandria exclaimed in protest. "Can't you ever talk of anything else? For goodness sake, Rose, you're eighteen years old and Head Girl for crying out loud! It's time you woke up and faced the facts. Whoever the wizard is, he doesn't even know you exist, and he's much too old for you."

"Not necessarily," Rose said defensively. Alex sighed.

"Of course necessarily," Mandria continued impatiently. "Look. According to what I've read, the Musketeers formed before Alex and I were babies. If he was an adult, then that means he's probably a good twenty years older than you if not thirty or forty."

"Well who says he was an adult? Maybe it was something they started when they were children," Rose blurted out uneasily.

"Yeah. Right," Mandria said, shaking her head.

"She has a point, it's possible they could have been children at the time," Alex agreed. Mandria blinked at her.

"There you see?" Rose said. "He could be anyone!"

"He could even be a teacher," Mandria put in, still a bit irritated about Alex's encouragement. "Think about it. Hasn't nearly every single time the signal's been seen it's been either from here at the castle or at Hogsmeade? And Dumbledore always seems to be nearby either when they're called or when they get back. Clearly one if not all of them are connected to the school. For all we know, Athos could be Alex's father."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, of course he isn't! My father doesn't even approve of what they're doing, let alone is one of them!" Alex snorted.

"Yes, of course, I remember now!" Rose said. "When Athos was hurt after rescuing me, Professor Snape was there, and he was quite angry! And don't you remember last year, Mandria, when the dragon attacked Aurelius? Professor Snape and Craw were both there casting spells from below, along with a bunch of other members of staff. But you are right about one thing, Mandria. Dumbledore knows who they are, I'm sure if it, and Snape knows too," she said. "Alex, I don't suppose you could try and find out from your father who he…I mean they…are?"

"Rose," Alex sighed, finally losing her patience, "my boyfriend just killed someone to protect me and now isn't speaking to me. Sorry, but I'm very much not in the mood to go on some juvenile chase to unmask secret identities. If you're so curious to who he is, why don't you try writing him a letter or something?"

"Write him?" Rose repeated ominously. "But would the owls know where to send it?"

"Dumbledore's would, wouldn't they?" Alex pointed out. "Look, if you're serious about this whole business about seeking Athos out, then you need to handle it yourself. He's hardly going to take you seriously if you go through a friend, is he?"

"You're right," Rose murmured. "But what would I say?"

"I'd ask him age and availability for starters," Mandria said dryly. "And whether he's even uglier behind the costume than he is in it…"

"Mandria!" Rose said horrified.

"Well they have to be hiding something, don't they?" Mandria challenged her. "Besides, no matter what you write, it's going to come off as a kid writing a fan letter. You're just going to end up making a fool of yourself."

"So when would now be any different than any other time," Rose snapped at Mandria, flushed with anger. "I've been teased ever since I came to this school, and even now as Head Girl I know it goes on behind my back. But at least I know who I am and where I'm going in life!"

"Yep, I know too. In a flower bed surrounded ankle deep in manure," Mandria said. "Maybe someday you'll take off those colored glasses of yours and realize what you're really stepping in." Rose turned then and ran in without another word, Mandria shaking her head after her.

"You were awfully harsh to her, Mandria," Alex frowned.

"I was being realistic! And you, Alexandria, have been no help at all! What are you thinking, encouraging her like that? She's just going to get hurt and you are doing her no favors leading her to think that anything could be possible between her and her hero! What sort of friend does that?"

"Mandria, have you ever been in love? I mean like real for real love, the sort you'd sacrifice everything for?"

"Have you?" she challenged.

"I haven't decided yet," Alex admitted. Mandria shook her head.

"Alex, I'm not even sure there really is such a thing short of one of your paperback novels. I mean, of course I love Conner, but then sometimes I hate him too. He can be a real ass," Mandria said. "That's reality, and I don't want to see one of my best friends pining away over something she can't ever have."

"I know what you're saying, Mandria," Alex sighed. "But we can't always chose who we fall for, and we definitely can't chose who our friends fall for. I mean, really… Mandria… Conner? The jerk-who's-been-picking-on-us-since-day-one Conner? Are you insane?"

"Actually, I always thought he was cute," Mandria blushed.

"Yes, and I think I just made my point," Alex said. "Now please help me find Xavier!"

"You just made your point again," Mandria sighed, for she had never cared for Xavier herself. "But let's go. And remind me to apologize to Rose later."

* * *

Severus was reading in his office when Jennifer finally tracked him down the next morning, class work in hand and ready to get back into some semblance of normalcy.

"Trying to skip breakfast on me?" Jennifer said accusingly, setting down her papers and grabbing the tray off the cart and uncovering it, setting it down in front of him.

"Sorry, I was just rereading the Final Problem," Severus said with a thoughtful look on his face, marking his place with a slithering snake bookmark.

"Sherlock Holmes again? You've hardly read anything else lately," scolded Jennifer, picking out pumpkin scone and nibbling at one end.

"It was the first time James Moriarity appeared in short stories, you know. And it was supposed to be the end of Holmes."

"Good thing it wasn't, Doyle did some of his best Holmes stories after that," Jennifer said.

"Hound of the Baskervilles," Severus agreed.

"I liked the Valley of Fear better," Jennifer said.

"Yes, so do I, and it too involved Moriarity… working the sidelines, manipulating individuals to the fullest extent without one of them knowing just how fully their actions were not their own… a cold mind concentrated on nothing but his own personal goals without any care to those in his wake except for how they can benefit his purpose… through living or through dying."

"Doesn't that sound familiar," Jennifer said with a sigh, sitting down.

"Yes, doesn't it?"

"And you're sure it's not…well, Ciardoth again?"

"No, Jennifer… she is bent only on destruction and revenge. She would have no cause to hide her tracks like this."

"But Malfoy would," Jennifer murmured.

"True enough, but then Alexandria wouldn't have been planted to incriminate him… nor would goblins have ever been used; Malfoy would not use the same method twice. No, Jennifer, we're working with an unknown source this time, and a dangerous one… perhaps not the level of menace that Ciardoth is, but still one capable of killing the innocent to further their purpose." There was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Jennifer said, walking over and opening the door. "Harry! Oh, what happened to your cloak?" she asked, holding her nose.

"Peeves is covering the hall outside in eggs, and I think the one that got me was a little on the rotten side. By the way, Severus, Descartes is out there chugging as many eggs as is thrown at him down his gullet, shell and all…that can't be good on his system."

"I'm sure I'll be paying for it as much as he will," Severus grumbled getting up.

"Don't forget to take your glasses off," Harry reminded him. "Hey, those are new! Can I see them?" Scowling, Severus took them off and handed them over as he slipped out the door. Harry took a moment to admire them, putting them on his nose. "Boy, do these bring back memories. Glad I had surgery though… wow, these are light! You can barely tell that they're on!"

"He got them from Toby's," Jennifer said.

"And he's actually wearing them?" Harry chuckled, taking them off. "Well, I hope he's careful. He might well forget he even has them on."

"He's done that before with his old glasses," Jennifer admitted.

"That's right, that's how I found out about them," Harry recalled. "Personally, I think he looks better with them on. Not quite so…I don't know…imposing."

"And that's the very reason he still refuses to wear them short of in private. You know, Sagittari already said that his vision is actually very good except for fine print, but he's straining his eyes something awful from not wearing them," Jennifer said, shaking her head.

"Oh, that explains a lot then," Harry said thoughtfully, but when Jennifer turned to look at him he had turned to check on Severus who stepped it with a rather bloated iron bird in his arms, plopping the poor thing down near the fire. Rasputin hissed from where he lay across his box on the other corner of hearth.

"You have no room to talk, as many times as I've seen you gorged," Severus hissed back, then accepted his glasses from Harry.

"I don't suppose you've seen this morning's copy of the Daily Prophet yet," Harry said, producing a copy from his cloak.

"I take it it's in there, then?" Severus said, putting his glasses back on and unrolling it.

"Just as you wanted, front page news," Harry said with a sigh. "Auror Potter to look into kidnapping case, hired privately, etcetera etcetera… oh, and by the way, the Ministry put in a statement of disapproval, saying that such 'private help' is unnecessary nor do they plan to cooperate with what amounts to an 'obvious publicity stunt.' There, thanks to you, Draco's once again listed me as an attention grabber… and, thanks to you, in this case he'd be right."

"Are you sure it's wise letting whoever's doing this know that Harry's looking into things, Severus?" Jennifer said.

"Whomever is doing this knows us very well, Jennifer…all of us. Announcing it not only gives us the first move, but it turns the game from him being the hunter and becoming the hunted. In the process, he may make a mistake as he changes his stance that'll give us more to work on."

"Give us more? Not Harry more?" Jennifer said challengingly.

"We have no choice now, Jennifer, we must make sure that he doesn't get a hold of Alex again," Severus said determined.

"What makes you so certain he would want to try to get her again?" Jennifer frowned.

"Can you think of any other reason he would have left her alive?" Severus asked. The color drained from Jennifer's face.

"I would have liked it if you hadn't have said that," Jennifer said, sitting back down with a sigh. "I knew there would be trouble when our children's abilities began to start coming out, although I really wasn't expect Alex's ability to cause problems. And over what? A silly riddle on a piece of parchment? I don't even think it was original," she said, folding her arms. Harry and Severus turned to stare at her.

"What makes you say that? You never mentioned it before," Severus asked.

"I did actually. I told you Alastor thought there was something wrong with it. Like it was pieced together or something…I'm sorry, that's all I got. Perhaps you should ask Alex."

"Perhaps that's not a bad idea," Severus frowned, glancing at his watch. "Apparently she's in an early History class."

"That's all right, send me an Owl at home if you learn more. Ginny will know where to direct it if I'm not there," Harry said.

"In that case, I'll have Alex stop by my office later," Severus said.

"You know, she did promise Alastor not to discuss what happened," Jennifer said.

"Yes, but this is Alex we're talking about," Severus said. "Knowing her she can hardly contain herself as it is."

"You may want to talk to her about any more Hogsmeade trips too," Harry said. "Until we find out something, it'd be better if the whole family stayed close to the castle."

"Agreed," Severus nodded.

"In that case, I'm off to do some snooping around," Harry said.

"Thanks, Harry," Jennifer said, knowing that Severus probably wouldn't say a thing. "Especially considering how short notice this was."

"I'd been waiting for the Owl the moment I heard what happened, actually," Harry admitted. "It seems like someone's not too wise about picking their enemies. Not only have they got the Craws and Snapes against them, but they messed with one of my godchildren. I'll see you later," he said with a smile, heading out the door.

* * *

"Aurelius!"

Aurelius, Stock and Heph paused in the corridor as Alexandria and Mandria hurried up to them in between classes.

"Have you seen Xavier today?" Alex asked anxiously.

"Of course I have. He's in Slytherin. I saw him before he went to class this morning," Aurelius said.

"But he didn't go to breakfast. Did he eat in the common rooms?"

"I'm not keeping track of his eating habits! Ask him yourself, Alex!"

"But I haven't seen him! He's not taking any meals in the Great Hall, and I haven't even seen him when he's supposed to be in the library as an aid. Boulderdash never seems to show up for that shift either, it's always another student. And now I heard a rumor that Xavier's quit the Quidditch team!" Alexandria said. "At least tell me if that's true!"

"Well, you're right; he did step down," Aurelius said with a nod. "In fact, you may be interested to know that you're now looking at the new Seeker of the Slytherin team… Eigil is still steaming about it as a matter of fact."

"Almost as much as he's steaming about all of his things from Toby's disappearing," Heph ribbed.

"I tell you, I had nothing to do with that!" Aurelius snapped. "Besides, it was Xavier and Jocelyn's decision to move me, he has no one to blame but them on that one."

"True," Heph agreed. "But I think he won't care so long as he gets captain."

"I imagine Jocelyn will take it," Stock said.

"And Stock is the new Keeper," Aurelius went on, but Stock didn't seem as thrilled about that as Aurelius did about getting Seeker. "Well? Aren't you going to congratulate me?"

"Congratulate you? For stealing Xavier's position?" Alex said angrily.

"I didn't steal it! He gave it to me!" Aurelius said. "You didn't expect him to be able to play with what happened, did you?"

"What does that have to do with anything? It wasn't his fault!"

"Well, he's still a Platt, and that means he's a walking target for getting spelled in the back. Crowded areas are security risks. Besides, it was his choice, so don't start blaming it on me. I'm being blamed for enough at the moment."

"Well you shouldn't have taken it!" Alex said.

"Look," Aurelius sighed and started walking again. "I'm not about to be a go-between for the two of you. Here you are snooping about trying to find out everything you can, and he, on the other hand, doesn't want to have anything to do with you. Sort out your own problems for a change!"

"What do you mean he doesn't want to have anything to do with me? What did I do? How could he…"

"I'm staying out of it!" Aurelius snapped.

"But who else have I got?" Alex demanded, standing in front of him. "He doesn't come down to meals. I don't even see him in the hallways!"

"Gee, I wonder how he's getting to class then," Aurelius said in such a sarcastic tone that Alex stared at him.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that before!" Alex said, and then headed in the other direction.

"Your sister isn't too bright, is she?" Heph smirked as they started again for their next class.

"Actually she can be on occasion," Aurelius admitted almost reluctantly. "It just takes knowing how to get through the thick fog that surrounds that brain of hers."

So it was after Xavier didn't show up for lunch that Alex decided to corner him, knowing very well that he was likely to take the passages. As it so happened Potions was the next passage over, so Alex was quite confident she would have little trouble getting to class if he took his time getting there. She wasn't all that surprised that he waited until the last minute, hoping not to run into anyone. He hesitated only for a moment when he saw Alex standing there, and then started walking again.

"Aren't you even going to talk to me? Wait! What's going on? Are you mad at me?" Alexandria said.

"Of course not," Xavier sighed. "But I need to get to class."

"You need to talk to me!" Alex insisted firmly. "I haven't seen you since…"

"Go ahead, say it," Xavier said, his face looking strangely grey in the dim light of the passage. "Since I murdered that goblin."

"What? Xavier, I know you didn't do it on purpose! In fact, you hit his leg, you intentionally tried not to kill him!"

"Only to make it look like it was unintentional of course. I knew that goblin daggers are often poisoned. And who would blame me? It's not like I didn't have a motive. The goblins came to 'convince' me that furthering a relationship was not a good idea. And although I'm sure what happened wasn't exactly the 'convincing' they had in mind, but suffice it to say they still convinced me," Xavier said.

"There's nothing you can say that would make me believe that rubbish is true! I know you better than anyone, Xavier…"

"You may have known who I was, but you don't know me now. I'm sorry, Alexandria, but it's for the best that we don't see each other anymore," Xavier said.

"No, Xavier, don't shut yourself off like this," Alexandria said, reaching for him. But her touch made him appear even more rigid then before, his eyes growing dark and cold. "You're better than this! You've fought the Platt curse all of your life…"

"And now I find I am no better than any other Platt. If anything, this has convinced me that perhaps my father was right after all. We're nothing but cold-blooded killers. You deserve better."

"I don't want better!"

"Then do without, I couldn't care less! Prattle on to some other ninny who tolerates it merely to get in your good graces. Find someone else to drive crazy with your constant talk of Muggles, as if they really mattered! I am sick of it and your little anecdotes and fantasies! You are not in my life any more, so feel free to go destroy someone else's!" he snapped.

Alex stared in complete disbelief at the look of icy anger coming from his eyes, and stood numbly as he turned calmly around and walked down the passage, slipping out at the pedestal near Defense. She realized then that she was shaking and leaned on the door a moment as she rubbed her cheeks. But instead of helping her to calm herself, thinking about what had just happened made it worse. She couldn't just go into her next class as if nothing was wrong. Turning around, she bolted up to her dorm room.


	17. Snape Gets Involved

Chapter Seventeen

Snape Gets Involved

The warm autumn weather took a dramatic turn that evening in the form of a chilling rainstorm from a wintry cold front. Jennifer paused a moment to gaze out the windows in the back corridors, dutifully closing them one by one until she finally got to the Great Hall. But despite the weather, the Hall itself was warm with student chatter and fragrant food and both sides of the hall's fireplaces had been lit and were crackling merrily. Many of the other professors had either left or had made other arrangements, so the main tables were unusually quiet. Severus, who had been waiting for her, was the first to notice her come in, watching her come closer with a questioning look on his face.

"For a moment I thought I missed a message or something," he murmured quietly to her as she sat down.

"I had some school business…well, family business…then again…"

"Oh no. When you can't tell the difference between them I know we have a problem. What now?" Severus asked with a frown.

"It's Alex," Jennifer sighed. "She missed Potions class completely, so I went to her dorm to check on her. I don't think I've ever seen her so distraught."

"Xavier?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Jennifer sighed. "She blames herself over the whole matter. I tried talking to her, to try to explain it to her, but I don't think she listened."

"I wonder where she gets that from," Severus said, but quickly continued in an attempt to parry off the look thrown in his direction. "Did you give her detention for skipping class?"

"What? No, of course not! She obviously wasn't in any mood to…"

"Jennifer, if we let every girl who had a 'tragic' emotional moment skip class we'd be missing half the class every day," Severus said.

"Oh honestly, Severus! How could I do something like that to her?"

"You are not at home, Jennifer, and it wasn't a matter of skipping her chores. As her advisor, you should encourage responsibility over emotional outbursts of any sort." Severus chided her. "She'll get over it in time. It's just as well… she's too young to be that serious about such things anyhow."

"Yes, that's what I told her," Jennifer sighed. Severus raised an eyebrow then, looking at her searchingly.

"Which part of that?"

"Well, both in essence. I told her she'd get over it and that it was probably for the best… why are you shaking your head at me?" Jennifer scowled, studying his face. "What do you mean I shouldn't have told her that? Are you criticizing my parenting now?"

"I don't suppose it would have occurred to you to just leave her to figure that out for herself?"

"I was merely trying to cheer her up!" Jennifer said in surprise.

"And in the meantime probably made her feel worse than she had been before you came in. Hasn't it ever occurred you that sometimes a person doesn't want to be cheered up?" Severus said.

Jennifer got up, throwing down her fork as she left. Several of the other professors looked up curiously but soon shrugged it off. Her reaction to her husband was hardly something they hadn't seen before.

It wasn't until his next class with Alex that Severus witnessed just how depressed she had become, gazing off in the distance without even paying attention to Mandria's whisperings and not even bothering to look up when he came in.

"Five points off Ravenclaw… Mandria, perhaps you'd like to make it ten?" Severus snapped. Quickly Mandria turned to face forward with her hands folded across her book. "Hand up your homework. I trust you've all finished your reading since your success in today's exercise will depend on it…did you hear me, Miss Snape? Eyes front and hand up your homework!" he said again, staring disapprovingly at her listlessness. "Well? Produce it!"

"I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't have time to…"

"Didn't have time?" Snape blinked in disbelief.

"Well, you did give us an incredible amount of reading to do on top of it," Alex said, several of the Ravenclaws gasping with surprise. "None of the other professors give us even half as much…"

"I am not one of your other professors," Snape snarled, and then glanced over at the Slytherin side of the room. Eigil gave her a greasy, sympathetic smile before turning with interest when the professor strode past him towards the back row. Snape snapped his fingers and held his hand out to Aurelius, who quickly produced his paper. "You had Quidditch practice last night, did you not?"

"Yes, Professor. We've had practice every night this week," Aurelius agreed. Snape turned the paper around and showed it to Alexandria. Each line had been neatly printed and undoubtedly filled with the necessary details.

"I find it quite interesting you didn't have time, Miss Snape, considering that your younger brother found time to complete his assignment. Why look…" he said, snatching up Mandria's paper and flipping it over for the class to see. "Even chatty little Mandria found time! I trust you spent it then concentrating on your reading as you suggest you did? Well, let's find out. Put your books away everyone and get out a sheet of paper. I've decided to have an impromptu test on the material. And for your own sake, I hope you do well," he warned, his black eyes sparkling threateningly at his daughter as he headed to the front of the class.

He wasn't in the least bit surprised when he noticed Alex flounder from the very first question, watching her intently throughout to make sure she didn't attempt to glance at the papers around her. After the third question, quite aware of the scrutiny, Alex merely put her quill down and stared at the paper as the rest of them finished their tests.

"You're to stay after class, Miss Snape," Snape informed her disapprovingly as he shuffled her paper in with the others. Aurelius looked over at her and shook his head, saying something to the boy next to him. Not a word came from Snape about the whisper as he headed to the front of the class to conduct the lesson. Fortunately for Alex, Snape seemed content to ignore her for the rest of the class but made a point to continuously call Mandria and Aurelius as if ramming it down Alex's throat that both of them knew the answers when she didn't.

Finally the class filed out and Snape shut the door behind them before walking over and tossing her paper on her desk, marked off with a zero.

"I don't accept incompletes in my class, Miss Snape. Especially on tests," Snape said.

"Really? Harry said you used to give him zeros all the time for…"

"I didn't give you permission to speak!" Snape snapped. "And besides, that was for Potions," he added irritably. "I do not accept such incompetence from Defense, especially from a student who has the brain capacity for the work and should be more than capable of reading a few pages and writing one scroll of homework. Why didn't you finish the work, Miss Snape? And don't tell me you didn't have the time."

"I didn't feel well," Alex murmured.

"Where's your note from Madame Pomfrey then?" Snape asked evenly.

"I didn't mean it like that," Alex said.

"No, what you meant was you didn't care to do the work," Snape said.

"Yes, I suppose that is what I mean," Alex retorted angrily. "Some things are more important in my life than schoolwork!"

"Oh really, well then allow me to disagree," Snape said, snatching the paper back up. "This is completely unacceptable, and I insist that you not only make this up but get your marks back up to acceptable if not above the class average. You will report to me every afternoon after your last class for an hour for extra work until I say otherwise. Is that clear?"

"But on Fridays I have Quidditch…"

"Which you can only play if you have favorable marks, and that is something you are not going to have if you don't do as you're told!" He paused a moment as Dodger flew in, quickly relieving the owl of a note before waving him away. "And I suggest you don't dally in the halls before you get here unless you really want to miss dinner. Dismissed."

Exhaling sharply in anger, Alex gathered her books and stomped out, completely convinced that all life on the planet was against her at that moment. But Severus only pondered on the situation briefly before his thoughts turned to the note that had arrived for him. He sighed softly as he read it, folding it back up again and slipping it away before his next class began to wander in.

* * *

The rainstorms soon gave way to sleet and snow. After a quiet dinner with Boltin at the Leaky Cauldron, Thomas Craw headed back to the house on Baker Street and lit the fireplaces, glancing around to make sure the House Elves had seen to the dusting.

"Mercy, brew up some fresh coffee and tea, and set out extra cups," Thomas said, moving the edge of the drape to the side to look out. "Might as well set a biscuit tray out too." Frowning critically, Thomas watched as the tray appeared and glanced over them until the steaming pots and china appeared beside it. Just then Thomas heard a noise at the door as if someone was trying the handle. Somewhat alarmed he popped it open to see Severus standing there, gazing at him searchingly.

"What are you doing here on a weeknight?" Thomas said with mixed surprise and suspicion.

"Do I need an excuse to drop by?"

"No, but it'd be hardly in your character," Thomas said dryly. Severus' lip twitched as he passed by him, stepping into the living room.

"I need a couple of books out of the study. Are we expecting company?" Severus asked, glancing at the tray.

"I am having company," Thomas said distinctly. "I'm sure you are quite busy."

"As a matter of fact, I had full intentions of reading in the study for awhile before returning. Things have been rather stressful at the school and I need to unwind for an hour."

"Won't let you smoke in your rooms, will she?" Thomas sneered. Severus gave him a dirty look.

"I'll stay out of your way," Severus said, deciding not to answer.

"My daughter the dictator. Eager to run everyone in her family's life but her own," Thomas chuckled.

"I am not taking the bait, so you might as well stop throwing it," Severus advised him. "Not that you'll need me, but you'll know where I'll be in case you do."

Thomas nodded and watched him head up the back stairs, waiting to make sure he closed the door to the study before returning to the front room. Had someone tipped him off? He mulled the matter over in his mind, but then there was a knock on the door. Pausing momentarily to listen for the sound of footsteps on the stairs, Thomas then opened it, ushering his friends in. Audi and Alastor, Scur, List and Brogan were all in attendance; the last three looking around the entryway curiously.

"We need to be cautious," Thomas murmured, leading them into the front room. "My son-in-law decided to make an unexpected visit home."

"Now, I wonder how he heard about this," Alastor squinted.

"I got the impression he merely needed to get away from Jennifer for a while," Thomas said. "Probably coincidental."

"Craws can be a bit overbearing at times," Audi said jokingly.

"Yes, but I hardly think it's a coincidence. From what I've seen of Severus, he makes his own 'coincidences.'" Alastor said with a frown.

"Don't be so paranoid," Thomas said irritably. "You always assume the worst!"

"Well, I don't think it's assuming the worst to guess that Severus is going to be more than suspicious about this little gathering of ours."

"Not necessar'ly, Auror," Fyren said, taking out a deck of cards and nodding to the dinning room. "Jus' a friendly game a' cards t' cheer up our lonely friend here. Nuthin' suspicious about tha'."

"Cards? With you? You think we're daft, Fist?" Brogan squinted. "You'd cheat your mother at cards."

Fyren's face suddenly turned dark and his eyes flashed, fiddling with his cuff.

"Do you know what happened to the last man who accused me of stealing, Brogan?" Fyren said almost casually. Audi and Alastor quickly jumped between them.

"There will be no deaths in this house, for pity's sake!" Audi said. "Scur, throw your bandages on! There's no doubt he'd recognize you from your picture in the paper."

"Don't panic, please. We're hardly likely to see him for a good hour…" Thomas said. It was then that they heard footsteps on the stairs.

As Severus stepped through on his way to the kitchen, he paused curiously to look over the strange group assembled at the table, apparently playing cards for tidbits off the biscuit tray. He stared fixedly at Scur first, his head covered in bandages, before looking at everyone else with the same intensity one by one.

"Don't mind us, Severus. Unless you want to play?" Thomas said calmly, glancing at his hand.

"Hardly my game. I didn't know it was yours either," Severus said, squinting at him.

"Learned to play in prison," Thomas said, throwing down a card. "Don't let us bother you. I concentrate better when someone's not looking over my shoulder."

"Hm," Severus said, taking one last glance at Alastor who was intentionally avoiding it before slipping into the kitchen. But it wasn't the Auror's mannerisms that interested Severus. It was the fact that Alastor and the man who had been dealing had a fresh, raging red sunburn when there had been nothing but rain across the country for several days.

"Wonder what he's up to," Thomas muttered, throwing down his hand.

"He's probably wondering the same thing about you," Audi smirked.

"Perhaps we ought to deal him in?" Fyren said, pulling the pot towards him and shuffling the cards. "From the looks of this house, I'd say his job must pay fairly well, and since you don't want to use my money…"

"Fist, not only are you a wanted criminal, but you 'earned' your money manipulating cards magically in Muggle public houses and clubs," Alastor pointed out. "Thomas could be questioned just by being seen with you. We're not going to let him start this little enterprise on dirty money."

"Exactly, which poses a problem, since tha' means all we 'ave to start up this enterprise is from th' small savings Thomas 'as left from mindin' th' pokey an' the pittance you bring in," Fyren said, smiling wanly at Moody. "I swear th' two o' you care more about keepin' Thomas out of trouble than you do about th' comp'ny."

"Very astute, Fist, that's exactly what we care more about," Alastor said firmly, putting in a piece of shortbread into the pile. "That and making sure whoever did murder Brad and attacked Alex and the boy gets what's coming to them."

"And whoever that person is has quite a head start on the project if what you told us was true," Brogan sighed, leaning on the table, munching on a biscuit.

"Stop eating your bet," Fyren glared at him from behind his cards.

"The question is how he got it," Brogan said. "You said he had a cut-up old piece of parchment spell-taped together, all of which looked as if they were inked in?"

"It was too dark," Alastor nodded. "And almost too perfect. Even the one that looked the most authentic had some signs of being doctored. I can only surmise that somehow he managed to copy every one of the pieces at some point or another. I think it's at least obvious when Brad's piece of the parchment got copied."

"I've kept mine in a safe when it wasn't on me," Brogan said.

"Didn't seem ta stop 'im from sneakin' a peek at Brad's," List pointed out, cutting the deck, and nudging it towards Brogan. "I guess it's easy to figure out when Craw's got copied. It must've been in the vault."

"Impossible," Craw said. "I had it on me the entire time that whole incident with the goblin occurred."

"In which case it 'ad to 'appen 'ere," Fyren said.

"Also impossible," Alastor said. "This house has been under surveillance since Thomas moved in."

"Yes, makes one feel like one's living in a fish bowl," Thomas grumped.

"Well the only other option is they copied it from the vault and that's the most ridiculous idea yet," Brogan said. Thomas looked thoughtful.

"Well, how exactly did he get hold of the others?" Alastor asked. "You said that each of you had a piece, and it had been complete, correct?"

"Well, most of us that were at the site, yes. Malfoy came in later," Thomas said, "Thank the black night for that little fact."

"What about the ones from the deceased members of your group?"

"I had those," Scur said. "I gave them all to Thomas when I gave him mine. I had them all except for Wylie's. I assume Fist has his?"

"Hm? Oh yes, yes, I have my brother's," Fist said distractedly.

"Well then, let's do a piece count, shall we?" Thomas suggested, pulling out his box and piecing those he had together. "Well?"

Brogan brought his out, making a point not to move his finger from his piece after putting it in place, and Fyren took out a folded piece and smoothed it out, reluctantly setting it into place, leaving one missing.

"Well?" Thomas said impatiently. "If that was Wylie's piece, where's yours?"

Fyren grinned nervously.

"Well, I seem ta 'ave misplaced one…" Thomas, Scur, and Brogan groaned, throwing their cards down at once.

"Don't tell us. You lost it in a card game," Scur snarled disapprovingly.

"I believe so… to be perfectly honest, I dun' rightly remember. My brain 'ad been just a tad foggy, and t'was so long ago… really, I was confident I 'ad the perfect 'and, and the blackguard was so gullible…"

"That drunk out of your mind you fell right into someone else's trap and in the process let someone else know exactly how big of a find the excavation company was on the brink of!" Brogan snapped. "I oughtta kill you…." he said and immediately Scur and Alastor jumped up to hold them off.

"Please! Not in here!" Audi hissed.

"Fine, I'll take it outside. A murder would be appropriate on this street," Brogan offered.

"Come now, mate, ye're 'ardly going to blame me for a bit of a weak moment that happened years ago, now are ya?" Fyren said, backing up.

"Wait, wait! Find out how long ago and to whom he lost it to before you kill him please?" Thomas insisted.

"I dunnae, five or six years ago, maybe, when I was diggin' on a joint venture. A buncha us homelanders working on a contract got together over a few kegs and a new deck o' cards one night durin' a freak duststorm. Lud, wot a night. I remember this one native digger 'oo was so double jointed that he could…"

"Fist!" Scur and Brogan barked at once.

"A name, please," Scur insisted.

"Well, I don't rightly recall too much of tha' night," Fyren admitted somberly. "I was a tad under the influence, as they say these days, likely I shouldn'tn'a even been playin'"

"You also shouldn't have put up something so irreplaceable!" Brogan growled.

"Looking for this?"

Everyone at the table looked up startled to see Severus standing in the doorway, holding a piece of parchment in his hand with a poker face to match anyone.

"You? No, it couldn't be you…"

"Don't' be a fool, Mr. Scur," Severus said evenly. "I did not know Mr. Brad. Not to mention I would hardly need to do something so elaborate to get my daughter to read for me when I could do so without her knowing it was even important. I acquired this thanks to the efforts of Harry Potter, who has been doing extensive work for me researching what the three of you have been doing since this excavation company of yours was run into the ground. Then he happened to learn about a little incident where one member of the bank's Goblin Excavation team disappeared… only to reappear in a collapsed mine in eastern Jordan. Upon his person was a key to a goblin vault. The goblins investigated being that he was there on their business, and discovered that in the vault was only a single metal box. Inside was a piece of parchment containing an obscure branch of Aramic, which didn't seem to directly translate into any of the known dialects at the time it was written. And since as far as the bank was concerned the parchment was undoubtedly an artifact from an excavation and since by contract he was bound to turn such items in, the bank confiscated it. It was, however, determined to be an item of little value and was stuffed back into the box, where Harry's brother-in-law requested to purchase it. I believe that suffices to explain how I got it?"

"I knew we were in trouble the moment you decided to hire Harry," Alastor grunted.

"How much more do you know?" Thomas asked. "Do you know who the man was?"

"That's as much as I was told, although I can assure you I guess much more," Severus said. "Such as the fact that you believe that this old, crumbling piece of parchment is a map that you haven't found the entrance to, and what's written upon its face is a clue to something your 'excavation company' stumbled onto years ago…a clue to lead you further onto the trail of finding the mines of King Solomon himself."

Several excited exclamations and even protests broke out at once, but Thomas was well aware of Severus' fixed gaze and stood up.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to my son-in-law alone for a moment," Thomas said.

"That should prove interesting," Severus agreed dryly, turning to walk back towards the study.

"Interesting indeed," Fyren said thoughtfully, picking up the cards once more. "Bu' can we trust the fellow?"

"Right now, I'd be wondering more about who at this table can we trust," Alastor said almost casually, accepting his cards and glancing at them while Audi eyed each one individually.

"Have a pipe, Severus, since I can see you haven't yet," Thomas said with a sigh as he strode into the study.

"I only smoke occasionally when I am reading, and I've been far too busy to read tonight," Severus said. "Tell me, is this house so dreadful that it would inspire you to so completely guarantee your residence back in Azkaban?"

"You have no idea," Thomas said in a tone so dry that it made Severus pause, gazing at him curiously. "I've changed one prison for another, Severus, that is all. And frankly I find that this prison is much more insidious, for it's a prison not only of my family and friends' making, but one of my own. I have lost nearly every battle against every enemy, whether it be through resignation or complacency, but this… this old thorn is one I am not ready to give up on. Before Malfoy began to sap our resources and I was forced to leave my country rather than subject my family to Voldemort, we were very close to finding it, I'm sure of it. How can you expect me then to let someone capable of murdering my friends to search for this treasure without offering some sort of challenge?"

"You yourself are capable of murder," Severus said calmly.

"Yes, but not for greed," Thomas said.

"I'm not so convinced the murder is about greed, even considering the prize you've got in mind," Severus said thoughtfully, rolling his pipe on the table distractedly. "But one thing is certain… regardless of what plans you conceive of to take up this foolish challenge, I would prefer that you stay safely away from it. You are treading in dangerous waters, Thomas, and I would very much like to have a Christmas at home rather than spend it visiting you on that dreadful island."

"Now you're starting to sound like Jennifer. Always thinking about your inconveniences," Thomas criticized. "I'm not doing this for the money. I'm not even doing it for revenge, Severus. What I want is my respect back, and there is nothing you can say nor any amount of risk be it legal or personal that will talk me out of the attempt." Severus gazed at him for a long time until at last his lip twitched and he let out a sigh of resignation. "Of course, now that you too have acquired a piece of the parchment, I'd be happy to cut you in. We have a need of investors in this enterprise."

"Investors?" Severus squinted.

"Capital to get the excavation company started again, to pay for legal paperwork and permits, all that sort of thing. You see, we're a bit at a loss right now for legitimate funds. But think of the return involved…"

"I see. And I suppose your friends don't have tuppence between them."

"Tupp what?"

"Never mind. How much?" Severus asked. Thomas smiled cryptically.

* * *

"How much?" Jennifer said agape.

"It is merely a loan," Severus said defensively, sitting down at the coffee table and picking up a folder.

"A loan? Twelve hundred and fifty galleons? Severus, that's half of our retirement savings!"

"Well, I wasn't really planning on retiring any time soon. Were you?" Severus asked with an almost innocent expression. "Besides, I made it clear that it was a loan that I expected him to pay off. It was either that or invest in this company of his and I was hardly going to do that."

"And yet you offered to assist in any way you could in any ancient magic runes or curses they might run into," Jennifer said in an undeniably disapproving tone.

"After all he is family, and besides it's easier to keep him out of trouble by humoring him. Fighting him would only make him want to do it more and you know that perfectly well," Severus said calmly. Jennifer sat down with a tired look on her face.

"He'll get into trouble. Him and that mixed crew of criminals and over-aged Aurors. And now there have been three deaths, a wizard and two goblins, for what? The search of a gold mine that wizards and Muggles alike have been looking for for thousands of years and might not even exist!"

"Yes, I find that strange myself," Severus admitted. "And I'm starting to wonder whether there truly is just one unknown person behind this who knows something that we don't, or if there's a great deal more to this little treasure hunt than meets the eye."


	18. The Final Problem

Chapter Eighteen

The Final Problem

Zacchius Black ran his hands back through his dark hair as he tried to concentrate on his homework. His temples ached slightly and his brain was quite foggy, having trouble focusing on the book in front of him.

"More tea, please!" Zack sighed.

"Zack, that's like your fourth cup in a row," Andrew said from where he and Halbert were studying across from him. "Do you need help with that?"

"What I need is a good night's sleep," Zack grumbled. "The Bloody Baron has been haunting my dorm room for over a week straight."

"And it's driving us all crazy," Tommy Benson said from down the table. He and the rest of Zack's dorm mates scowled at him accusingly, knowing who to blame for their own lack of sleep.

"Well, that's what for letting Peeves bother Juliet like that," Halbert said. "She's got spunk, she has, adopting the Baron like that. And not one professor said a word about it!"

"They're all angry at me too," Zack grumbled. "And several of them are holding me personally responsible for anything Peeves does. But he's totally out of control! I mean, I like a good prank now and then just like anyone, but it's been nonstop since Halloween now."

"It's not easy being the little ass of Gryffindor, is it?" Conner jeered at Zack. "I remember when it was me when I was a second year."

"In some ways, you still are a little ass," Stewart said. Conner attempted to push his friend off the bench and got pushed back ending up in a grip lock.

"How can I write with such levels of immaturity around me!" Rose said with exasperation as she crumbled up the stationary in front of her and threw it in a pile of wadded paper in front of her.

"Well excuse us, Miss Head Girl," Conner said sarcastically. "We wouldn't want to disturb your attempts at corresponding with a storybook character that doesn't even exist."

"Oh, shut up. You have no way of knowing who I'm trying to write to!" Rose said defensively, blushing.

"Sure I do. Mandria told me all about it. She thinks you're getting balmy. And I think she's right," Conner smirked. "Talk about immaturity."

"She'll come around eventually," Stewart said with a shrug. "Once she realizes the person she's writing to is an old man with a dozen kids to his name."

"We don't know that," Rose snapped.

"Nonsense, of course he is," Conner said.

"Who are you trying to write to, Rose?" Halbert asked.

"Oh, just someone, it's just not coming out right," Rose muttered.

"I can imagine," Conner ribbed, putting his hands together and batting his eyes. "Dear Athos! I think of nothing else but you to the point of driving my friends crazy talking about you! Would you please let me know if you're not ancient, ugly, or involved, and if you're interested in a sweet young thing not even out of school yet? If so, I am yours! Please write soon, I feel faint!" Conner swooned towards her, and Rose quickly got up, scooping up her paper angrily.

"Oh, grow up, Conner!" Rose snapped.

"Grow up yourself, Thorny Bailey!" Conner retorted as she walked away. Andrew and Halbert looked at each other and then Andrew nudged him, the two of them getting up to follow her. She paused by the fountain in the courtyard, staring at it angrily until she was aware of the two boys standing behind her.

"Oh, what do you want?" Rose said, not bothering to turn around.

"I just wanted to talk to you," Andrew said calmly. "You shouldn't let Conner get to you, you know. It's none of his business what you do or who you write to anyhow."

"I'm not angry about that," Rose said. "I'm angry about Mandria saying anything to him in the first place."

"Yes, I would be too," Halbert agreed. "It was not right for her to betray your confidence like that."

"Even still, we just wanted you to know that, well, we didn't think anything was wrong with you writing to Athos," Andrew said.

"No, they're right," Rose sighed. "It was a stupid idea. I've tried I don't know how many times to write it, and I always come of as a silly school girl with a bad case of hero worship."

"Well, maybe you're just going about it the wrong way," Andrew said, coming up to her side. "People don't expect a letter out of the blue like that. I know, why don't you write a thank you letter? You are grateful he rescued Alex and all that, and for rescuing you four years ago, right?"

"Yes," Rose said thoughtfully.

"Well then. I bet he'd appreciate it no matter who he is, and I doubt he'd think it was silly," Andrew finished.

"You know, you may have something there," Rose said, gazing between them. "You really don't think it's silly, do you?"

"Not really," Andrew said.

"It is your life and your heart, not theirs," Halbert said. "It is good to have advice of friends but is it not your decision whether to take it?"

"You're right! You know, Alex has said the same thing to me herself, and she's the only other person!" Rose said, a weak smile crossing her face. "Sure you don't know something about all this that others don't?" Andrew merely shrugged.

"Maybe we're just trying to be good friends," Andrew said. Rose chuckled and shook her head, kissing each of their cheeks before heading in. Halbert rubbed his cheek dazedly looking after her.

"That was very nice. I thought it was not typical for British to kiss in public?" Halbert said.

"No, so be careful!" Andrew said mischievously. "If Davidson finds out about it, she might think you're taken." Halbert blinked at that as Andrew started inside.

"You don't think she actually saw that, do you?" Halbert asked anxiously. Andrew merely chuckled at his friend as they headed to the common room.

* * *

A flurry of excitement at the Gryffindor table attracted Alex's attention from where she had been distractedly poking at her lunch, barely touching what was in front of her. Mandria, who had been busy reading a letter from her parents she had just gotten from the mail drop looked up curiously, adjusting her glasses.

"I wonder what that's all about? Want to go and check it out?" Mandria asked.

"Not really," Alex said glumly. "I'm sure it's some sort of silliness. Perhaps my cousin is stirring things up again," she said, playing with her food again. "Or maybe they've found out about that notice in the paper that Toby's is going to be closed down for the last Hogsmeade trip this weekend. Not that I have any reason to care."

"Cheer up, Alex, I'm sure I don't blame your parents for wanting you three to stay here after what happened," Mandria said gently. "There will be other times."

"It wouldn't have been much fun without Xavier around anyhow," Alex murmured forlornly.

"It's been nearly two weeks," Mandria sighed. "Alex… he's not going to change his mind. He's changed, you know…"

"Rubbish!" Alex snapped angrily, gazing wistfully over at the Slytherin table. Xavier was nowhere to be seen. "He's too stubborn to let this get the best of him! And I'm not going to give up on him. I know he'll come around, Mandria. You just don't understand…"

"It's not me who seems to have a problem understanding this time, Alex," Mandria said.

"No, you've got it all wrong," Alex said. "This whole thing is all wrong."

"Alex! Mandria!" The two of them looked up to see Rose coming over to them, beaming excitedly while many of the students at the Gryffindor table were either grinning or shaking their heads, still chatting loudly to each other. "Guess what I got in the mail today! You'll never guess!" she said, waving a piece of paper in her hand.

"A letter," Mandria said calmly.

"Well yes of course a letter, but I meant you wouldn't guess from whom!" Rose said with exasperation then leaned over the table, lowering her voice. "It's from Athos! Athos himself!"

"What? Oh, no, Rose, don't tell me you wrote to him after all!" Mandria said.

"Yes, miss know-it-all sage of Ravenclaw, I did. I wrote him a thank you letter," Rose said defensively, handing the note out to her. "And he answered! He really answered!"

"Hang on a moment, let me see," Mandria said unfolding it. "'Dear Miss Bailey, I wanted you to know that I received your letter and would like to thank you for your kind words. It was a warm gift to learn that our efforts our appreciated, and I will carry them with me forever. Be assured if you ever need assistance again I shall be humbly at your service. Yours Faithfully, Athos,'" Mandria read. "How about that? A form letter."

"It is no such thing! It's in his own writing!" Rose said, snatching it away. "And quite sincere! Anyone could see that!"

"Next thing you know, you'll be making 'yours faithfully' out to be some sort of hidden message of undying love," Mandria said dryly. Rose grew slightly flustered, folding up the note several times.

"I don't know. It sounded sincere to me," Alex said softly, pushing away her tray. "I think it's great he replied, Rose. Perhaps you might send him a Christmas card."

"Perhaps I might!" Rose said, gazing at Mandria defiantly. "I might even buy him something."

"You don't even know him," Mandria said slowly, enunciating every word.

"Does any girl really know any guy?" Alex asked somberly, poking at her food again.

"I am going to send him something," Rose decided. "Oh, if only you could go to this last Hogsmeade trip, Alex! I haven't the foggiest idea what to get!"

"Don't worry, Rose, you have great taste in gifts," Alex said. "I'm sure whatever it is will be perfect." Rose beamed at her again before suddenly remembering she was supposed to be on hall duty, quickly excusing herself with an apology before hurrying out of the Hall.

"There you go again," Mandria said with annoyance, "Encouraging her like that! I'd think considering what you're going through, you'd be doing exactly the opposite!"

"Why? Just because I'm unhappy doesn't mean I want others to be," Alex said glumly. "Goodness knows they both deserve better."

It was strange how the hour before dinner where Alex had to report to Snape for extra work came to be a retreat for her. Problems of all sort… multiple choice, situational and essay were thrown at her daily… some so easy that Alex thought it was nothing but irritating busywork, but others more complex. Fortunately, Snape had told her from the beginning she was welcome to use any book within the classroom or his office to solve them, so those too ended up more of an exercise in research rather than anything else.

That day seemed to be one of the busywork days, although she noticed the end three problems were situational… simple enough after years of having to do them in his class. But then she got to the last problem and frowned at it.

_ You find yourself in a rugged countryside at night facing a Grendel. All vegetation in the area has been trampled, you have no potions or weapons, and your wand has just been destroyed by the creature you now face. How do you defeat it?_

How do I defeat it, Alex wondered. She chuckled to herself, knowing what she would really do in such a situation, no matter how cowardly it would seem. She flipped through her book but knew the legends already.

Grendel was a ferocious beast created by a dark wizard long ago in attempt to wipe out Muggle kind, only to be foiled by a single Muggle warrior. Although, Alex remembered thoughtfully, the goblins had readily insisted it was actually one of their warriors who killed it, defeating the evil wizard themselves in the times when the Goblin Empire was still strong. But whatever the history was for the creature, Grendel and offspring were long gone, and it was just as well. Not many, Muggle or Wizard or Goblin alike, faced a Grendel and lived to tell about it. As for weaknesses there weren't any unless you had superhuman strength and a well-forged weapon in the hands of a master… so even if she had a weapon given she couldn't possibly have the strength or mastery… well, not without a potion, and it was stated she had none of those as well.

But why was it here, then, if there was no solution? Was there a weakness she missed? Quickly she got up and searched through the books in the classroom, thumbing through a few and checking the indexes, slipping them back into place at the exact same indentation on the shelves knowing that Snape would say something quickly enough if she didn't. She set the last book with a sigh, glancing over at the desk. Severus hadn't seemed to notice, too busy emptying the red ink bottle upon a first year's essay, making comments on every single line.

"Might I check some books in your office, Professor?"

"Yes, I suppose, but I expect you had better be quick about it," Severus said irritably, glancing at his watch. "You only have ten minutes left."

"Um, yes, thanks," Alex muttered, slipping in and gazing at the bookshelf.

"I'm hungry! I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" Descartes declared when she walked in.

"Might I have a mouse?" Rasputin asked.

"Don't play with the familiars please," Severus' voice called out warningly.

"I can't help it if they know I can understand them," Alex said defensively, coming back out with three tomes under her arm. "Why is it that every time something or someone figures out I can understand them, they want something from me?"

"Ten minutes, Miss Snape, I suggest you get on it," Severus reminded her sternly. "And without the prattling, if you don't mind."

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Alex sat down again, pouring through the books but getting no closer for the effort. Not one of even the ancient texts mentioned anything about any other weaknesses and she closed them and pushed them back, staring at the problem until at last she heard the dinner bell and stood up, walking over to the desk. By then Snape was steadily watching her with a fixed gaze, casually holding his hand out for the paper.

"Can I ask you something first?" Alex said.

"Yes?" Snape said with a raised brow.

"The final problem… is there some trick to it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean I've checked every resource in the place, and I can't find any answer."

"Really?" Severus said expressionlessly. "I would think the answer would be quite obvious." Alex blinked at that and stared at it again. Obvious? There was an obvious answer? "Tell me, Alex. If you were truly in such a position, what would you do?"

"Me? I would run," Alex admitted. "I'd Disapparate out of there as quick as I could. I can't take something like that alone, especially without magic or anything else."

"Very well," Severus said, putting his hand out for the paper then. "I'll take that into consideration then. You may go…oh, and, don't bother returning tomorrow, I think you've gotten caught up."

"I may go? Just like that? But I didn't answer it," Alex said with surprise.

"Didn't you? I believe you answered it just now orally if not in writing. I can even pen it in for you if you like," he said calmly.

"What do you mean?" Alex said as he scribbled on her page. "I just said I couldn't."

"That, of course, is the answer," Severus said, putting the quill in its place and setting the paper aside, gazing directly at her. "You can't." Alex stared at him in disbelief. "You can't solve every situation. You can't always choose to fight, nor can you always overcome an obstacle. Everyone has things happen they have no control over or can't stop. A door slams in one's face and changes things forever. The trick then is to find a route one can manage rather than stand staring at the door with no plans to do anything but stare at it for the rest of one's life. You will find as you grow older that it's not the achievements in one's life that is so important, but what one does when faced with the harsh reality that we cannot control everything, especially when it involves other people. And so the true question of the problem is that when faced with an unsatisfactory answer, do you stay to be slain, or do you turn away and find another path? Apparently you know the answer better than you believed you did," he finished, taking off his glasses and putting them away. "Now, if you don't mind, get out of my classroom. I have an appointment for dinner."

"Oh, um…yes, sir," Alex said deep in thought, turning her desk to gather her books before slowly walking for the door. She paused then, turning back around to look up him, but he was busy gathering his own papers together. "Thank you, sir."

"Merely doing my job, Miss Snape. Really, aren't you ever going to leave?" Snape said impatiently. But somehow the irritated voice had lost an edge in Alex's ears and she grinned at him, nearly bumping into her mother as they met the doorway at the same time. Excusing herself, she headed down the hall.

"Don't tell me you're still keeping her after class?" Jennifer said with exasperation, putting her hands on her hips and frowning sternly at him.

"Now don't turn into a nag on me, she's done learning her lesson as far as I'm concerned," Severus said, putting the rest of his things away.

"Well that I'm glad of. Honestly, Severus, why do you have to be so hard on them anyhow?" Jennifer sighed, following him out.

"Merely doing my job, Mrs. Snape," Severus said primly, Jennifer rolling her eyes in response.


	19. Duality

Chapter Nineteen

Duality

Alex took a long time eating that night, like one savoring it as if she hadn't ate well in weeks and in fact she had to admit to herself she hadn't, suddenly feeling rather silly about it. Mandria, on the other hand, was eating quite quickly until Alex finally noticed.

"Going somewhere after dinner?" Alex asked thoughtfully.

"To the library with Conner," Mandria admitted.

"But I thought that the last time you went to the library with Conner you swore you'd never do it again because he kept cracking everyone up and you never got any work done," Alex said. Mandria paused a moment to stare then grinned sheepishly.

"Well, he did do that, and I did say it. Although I admit I didn't think you were paying attention when I said it. You've been a complete wet blanket lately…"

"That's true," Alex agreed. "But I hardly own the market on it. You've been horrible to Rose lately."

"And I still don't know why you're encouraging her. You and everyone else! Look over there, Alex," Mandria said, and Alex followed her eyes to where Rose sat with a bunch of younger students around her, apparently reading the letter again. "It's the most pathetic thing I've ever seen, even after spending the last two weeks around you."

"Gee, thanks," Alexandria said dryly. "Look, I know how you feel, but maybe you should give her a break about it. I mean, we've all heard your warnings, but I think it's obvious that Rose is going to do what she wants to do anyhow regardless of what anyone thinks and I don't think taunting her behind her back is being a good friend."

"I don't taunt her behind her back!" Mandria protested. "It's true that Conner does, and maybe Stewart does on occasion…"

"Then if you were really a good friend you'd tell them to shut up and mind their own business," Alex said bluntly. Mandria grew quiet for a moment. "What, are you afraid if you tell Conner to dry up he'll turn on you?"

"Well…sort of," Mandria admitted hesitatingly.

"In that case you'd be in your rights to tell him to dry up. He's not worth it," Alex said.

"Listen to you! This from the girl who was pining away over Xavier just this morning!" Mandria said. "Talk about hypocrisy!"

"Actually, I have recently come to decision that no man is worth it. At least, not for me. They only get in the way, and I have my ambitions to think about," Alex declared.

"Ambitions? Ambitions for what?" Mandria asked dubiously.

"I haven't decided yet. But that's not the point," Alex declared. "If Rose wants to get involved, or you want to get involved with that loud mouth for that matter, I have no intentions of stopping you. Instead I have every intention of encouraging you. I was just concerned because you seemed quite annoyed the last time you went to the library with him and I don't want you to be upset again. But if you want to go to the library with Conner, I'm all for it. Have a good time."

"Gee thanks. I think," Mandria said, quickly finishing her bread and getting up. "Don't work too hard."

"I don't think I shall," Alex declared, finishing her desert before heading over to the Gryffindor table.

"Do you suppose," Morfinn was saying from where he sniffled behind Rose, attempting to find a seat. But the Gryffindors around her wouldn't let Morfinn sit by them, making sure to not give him any room to try. "Do you suppose you could talk Athos into signing some clippings for me?"

"Well, it's not like I really know him," Rose protested, blushing profusely. "I merely sent him a thank you letter for saving Alex."

"Well, I still think it's splendid," Alex said, walking up with a smile. Immediately a place opened up and she sat down, much to the annoyance of Morfinn, who slumped back and took a handkerchief out of his collar, blowing his nose as he worked his way back to where Alicia sat at the Hufflepuff table. "And I think I've got a great idea on how you can get to know him better. Why don't you do an interview of him for the school paper?"

"Oh great, go and give her a Lois Lane complex, will you?" Zack said rolling his eyes.

"Who? Oh, she's that famous American reporter, I remember now," Alex said, and Zack sighed.

"Never mind."

"Never mind is right! I don't think I could bring myself to do anything like that! Besides, I really would rather do this on my own," Rose said in a lower voice.

"She means without mentioning the school and reminding him she's still in school," Zack said.

"Zacchius Black, doesn't anything ever come out of your mouth that isn't a rib of some sort?" Rose said with exasperation.

"Of course. Sometimes I let out a fibia now and then. Femur. Humerus."

"Well I don't think you're being very humorous," Andrew poked him. "Don't you have a detention with Professor Singh now?"

"Did you have to remind me?" Zack scowled, reluctantly getting up. "I can't believe he actually thinks I personally pelted the class with rotten pumpkin. I mean honestly, squash isn't my style! I can't be held responsible for everything Peeves does!"

"Professor Singh does not believe in Peeves," Halbert reminded him.

"I don't believe in the tooth fairy either, but if I woke up one morning with teeth missing I might give it a second thought," Zack retorted. Andrew chuckled, but one look from Rose quieted him immediately.

"Do try to be civil, Zack! I'm so tired of finishing last in the point standings!" Rose scolded. "You're taking this whole adoption thing a bit too far."

"Not me! It's Peeves that's doing it!"

"And you encouraged him…"

"Well maybe at first, but I'm not now, I swear! In fact, I've been contemplating trying to find a way to silence the annoying lil' haunt," Zack said, getting up.

"Don't do anything too drastic, Zack!" Rose warned him, frowning with concern. "He has grown attached to you, after all, and you are supposed to be helping him…"

"And in the meantime his constant tomfoolery is landing me in boiling water in every class!" Zack snapped.

"Why don't you try sitting down and talking to him?" Andrew said. Zack paused to stare at him.

"You try talking to him then if you're so smart," Zack said irritably. "Has it ever occurred to you that talking doesn't solve everything?"  
"I don't know. I can't think of anything that can't be talked out with a healthy dose of patience and understanding."

"Great. You do that. In the meantime, I'm going to find a way to cork the blighter up for the rest of the year," Zack declared as he headed to his detention.

* * *

Severus Snape was intensely studying a book on ancient civilizations along the Red Sea when suddenly a burst of laughter coming from his classroom made him quickly rise to see what was going on, standing in the doorway of his office with an irritated look on his face, about to scold his class for not quietly finding their seats. What he saw was his own son covered in treacle, the large jar still stuck to his head like glue from where he stood glumly near the other doorway leading into the classroom, Halbert beside him making a play of helping but obviously not willing to get the sticky substance on himself. The candles in the room all flickered once with the wave of Snape's hand and the class quickly came to order, while Andrew was busy trying to get the jar off without pulling out all of the roots to his hair out in the process.

"Dare I ask just how you managed to get yourself in such a predicament when you probably should have already been in here and in your seat?" Snape asked, unamused.

"Peeves did it as I was coming in, sir," Andrew said meekly trying to get out his wand, which seemed to be stuck in his pants pocket.

"And did you or did you not attend the class I taught on poltergeists? I should think you would know how to deal with a poltergeist by now," Snape snapped.

"Well, yes sir, but I was merely trying to talk to him," Andrew protested. "I thought I could reason with him…"

"Reason? With a poltergeist?" Snape repeated, his lip twitching slightly. "Five points off Gryffindor for not being in your seat, and five more for entering this classroom in less than acceptable Hogwarts dress code standards. And tonight I expect a five hundred word essay on the limitations of basic manifestations with special attention paid to their inability to relate to the effects they have on the living. Well? Why are you still standing there? No! Never mind," Severus said abruptly, taking out his wand when Andrew raised his foot and part of the black goo stuck to the floor. With one flick of the wand snapped towards Andrew like a whip, the treacle suddenly began to travel upwards so quickly that Andrew wasn't sure what was happening until the jar popped off his head and landed on the floor miraculously unbroken from the fall and completely full as if it had never been emptied. Andrew touched his robes, amazed in spite of himself, for it looked as if it hadn't happened at all. "Well?" Severus frowned at him again. Quickly Andrew apologized and got to his seat, Halbert looking back sympathetically from the seat in front of him.

"Today we're going to continue our study of the undead, and more specifically into creatures who became undead through animation with dark magic of corpses after the spirit has passed on such as mummies, zombies, and skeletons…" Snape droned on. Andrew had dutifully opened his notebook and was finding his place in his notebook when fellow housemate Phil Rich nudged him gently.

"Is there something different about your Father today?" he murmured when the Professor was busy lecturing someone on the other side of the classroom.

"I dunno. Seems like the same old Snape to me," Andrew muttered back, becoming immediately attentive when Snape turned and headed back to the front of the class, continuing his lecture on mummies.

"According to legend, all mummies were thought to awaken only after their tombs have been desecrated, however research suggests rather that merely specific corpses… those of loyal servants or guardian positions of the deceased leader were actually the ones chosen to embalm not only in the ceremonial traditions of the time but also bound with dark magic to awaken them if their master or mistresses' final resting place is disturbed. Diseases associated with being in contact with one of these guardians include wasting diseases, blood diseases causing heart failure or lung diseases often blamed on the molds within the tomb. Because of the toxicity, the wrappings are often used in poisons and various antidotes for the poisons, as I'm sure you will cover in Professor Craw's advanced classes. There are several ways to deal with these sorts of mummies, the first of which being fire…"

Jennifer had just been coming from a meeting with Hermione and was hurrying towards her classroom when she heard her name and peered in the Defense room. But what was meant to be a quick glance turned into a stunned stare. Somehow or another, Severus had forgotten to take his spectacles off and seemed to be teaching his class completely unaware that they were on. For a split instant she raised her hands to try to warn him, but as she listened to his voice and watched him make notes on the blackboard she suddenly stopped as her mind went back to her life as Jacqueline and saw at last the vision of Mycroft in front of her.

It was not long after that Dumbledore arrived with a newspaper in hand, gazing in surprise at Jennifer where she leaned against the doorway with a dreamy look on her face and an enigmatic smile across her lips. With intense curiosity he glanced in and blinked a time or two, finding himself nearly as enraptured as she. But after a few minutes Severus saw a glint of gold from Dumbledore's robes out of the corner of his eye.

Severus paused and frowned at them in confusion, the students all taking quick or sideways glances to see what he was looking at before turning forwards again. Jennifer smiled sheepishly and waved, taking a step back only to bump into Dumbledore. But Dumbledore merely smiled at Severus, pointedly pushing his glasses up off of his nose and straight onto his face as he never did. Severus blinked, but his eyes changed dramatically as it dawned on him what was going on, forcing himself into a stony fixed expression while his color turned a bit on the pasty side. He glanced at the class, who were staring at him with puzzled, expectant faces and their quills obediently at the ready, then finally pulled himself together.

"I'll be right with you, Professor," Severus said slowly, turning back to the blackboard and continuing his last line. "Please everyone finish copying these notes while I speak with the Headmaster, and I will continue the lecture in a moment," he said, putting down the chalk. When he turned around the spectacles had disappeared. So, it seemed, had Jennifer, who had quickly excused herself from Dumbledore and made her way back to her classroom. If the class had noticed there was not one whisper to be heard, only the scratching noise of quills upon paper as Severus walked over, scowling suspiciously at them all before turning his attention to Dumbledore. "And just how long had the two of you been standing there?"

"We were merely observing, Severus," Dumbledore assured him. "Interesting topic today, you know."

"All the same you could have warned me sooner…"

"Warned you? About what?" Dumbledore said. Severus' gaze showed just how much he was not buying it. "Besides, if we had noticed anything, I dare think if we had attempted to tell you sooner it would have drawn attention to the fact. At any rate, I'd like to commend your handling of the class today. I don't think I've ever seen them so attentive. I really think you are hitting home with them."

"Forgive me, Professor, and thank you, but I hardly think you came all the way down here to tell me that," Severus said bluntly.

"Ah, yes. I brought you the paper. There's something in it you need to see…and if you need to see me after classes, I'll be in my office. In fact, I'll go ahead and write you in. Now, please continue. They sure have come a long way, haven't they?" Dumbledore smiled softly, handing him the paper before walking away. Severus paused a moment to close the door and squint at the paper, rolling his eyes and letting out a deep sigh when he saw the front page article. He put it on his desk, getting in a drawer to take out a wax paper of headache powder before returning to the blackboard, tapping the chalk to get their attention again and resume the lecture.

* * *

"Rose!"

As Alex ran up to her in the courtyard, Rose brightened considerably, not looking forward to a day at Hogsmeade by herself.

"So are you coming after all, then?" Rose asked hopefully.

"No," Alex said with a sigh. "But I was hoping you would pick up some things for me at my brother's shop? Just a small list," Alex insisted, taking up a tightly rolled up scroll that looked anything but small and her coin pouch. "Thanks! See you after dinner!"

"Lovely," Rose said unenthusiastically as she headed for the bus, but Alex just grinned and turned to head the other way. But as Alex reached the door she heard her name called, and paused to see Eigil Hauk dismissing his constant entourage and walking over to her.

"Alexandria! Won't you please wait up for a moment?" Eigil asked. Several of the students passing by looked at him oddly, wondering what he was saying, or even what language he was speaking. "Heading to Hogsmeade? Might I sit with you?"

"Oh, well, actually, I'm not. I came out to talk to a friend before she left," Alex explained.

"Oh, that's too bad. I was hoping to talk to you today," Eigil sighed.

"Really? About what?" Alex asked curiously.

"Oh, well, about anything. You are after all the only one I know who can speak my language. It hasn't been easy, you know, trying to adjust in a foreign country, away from everyone I grew up with," he said, lowering his voice. "It has been rather lonely, in fact. I could use a friend."

"Oh, I see," Alex said, some of the warmth waning from her voice. "And you heard, of course, that Xavier and I weren't going out any more, so you thought I might be lonely too?"

"You misunderstand me, Alexandria, I would never have brought such a thing to your attention. It would not have been proper. However, I would not like to see you have to go anywhere without an escort. Perhaps since you are staying here, I can stay as well and keep you company?"

"Thanks, but I'm spending the day with my family," Alex said quickly. "Speaking of which, did you ever hear from your father?"

"What?" Eigil said in obvious surprise.

"I saw him in the Ministry a few weeks ago asking about you. I suppose you met up?" Alex asked.

"No, and I'd prefer not to," Eigil said tersely, walking back inside. Alex looked after him thoughtfully for a moment and then turned for the Great Hall where the rest of her siblings were already waiting. Aurelius and Andrew were busy setting up the chess set, while Alicia seemed to be sketching something out of the paper.

"Finally. Just what took you so long?"

"Eigil. He tried to pick me up," Alex said with a sigh.

"What? Are you insane? Why in the world would you even talk to that bloody oaf let alone…"

"Calm down, Rel!" Alex said as Andrew and Alicia tried to quiet him. "Honestly! I didn't say I tried to pick him up. Besides, to be perfectly honest, I find him a bit creepy. I mentioned seeing his father just now and he turned completely ashen and decided to wash his hands of me. I hope I didn't overstep."

"You? Never," Aurelius said drolly, pushing the chess set aside. "Come on, let's play cards. Slide over, Andrew, I want Alex as my partner."

"That's hardly fair. The two of you always win when you're together. At least split up and give us a sporting chance. Let's play guys against gals, eh?" Andrew suggested.

"No way. You never throw anything useful unless it's useful to the other side," Aurelius said. "I'll play with Alicia then, but that's my final offer…if, that is, she gets her nose out of the paper long enough to realize we're even here. What are you doing, anyway?"

"Sketching Rinan Scur from the photo out of yesterday's paper," Alicia murmured, still meticulously adding detail to her sketchbook.

"Oh, he was in the paper again?" Alex asked curiously, pulling it over.

"When isn't he in the paper?" Aurelius pointed out.

"Well, recently the paper's only been interested in the political war going on between the goblins and the Ministry," Alex said, kneading her head. "That's why I had to stop reading it. Oh, but listen to this! It sounds like they think Rinan Scur has left the country!"

"Wouldn't you if you knew you were a wanted criminal?" Aurelius retorted, shuffling the cards.

"'Word has recently leaked out from the Ministry earlier today that Minister Thurspire has turned his attentions south after a goblin official added Rinan Scur's name to the growing list of complaints against the Ministry, stating that the goblin's overseas correspondence reported sighting him as he attempting to renew an old excavation license as a rune field expert in Egypt! However, the alleged murderer has not been seen since and the Minister has speculated that he may have moved to another country where such licenses are easier to obtain.' Wow. It could be just me, but I'm not so sure the Ministry of Magic would be too happy about something like that getting out in the paper," Alex said.

"Boy is that an understatement," Zacchius Black said. The four of them looked up to see him standing behind Alex, looking rather glad that all of them were there. "Mom and Dad stopped by to talk to Dumbledore last night. Mom said Minister Malfoy was having a cow about it."

"Sounds painful," Andrew commented.

"Yeah, and I hear Minister Malfoy's coming down on Editor Weasley about it," Zack said, sitting down. "Can I play?"

"Sorry, only four hands," Aurelius said, dealing them out after Alicia changed seats.

"Why do I get the feeling he's going to blame Harry Potter for this one?" Alex sighed.

"Draco can't be that stupid. Why would Harry want something like that out when it's bound to make his work harder? Alicia, put that chalk down and play," Aurelius insisted.

"All right, but don't get mad and blame me if we lose this time. I hate it when you shout," Alicia sighed, picking up her cards. "But really, if Harry didn't want it, why would Weasley print it?"

"News is news, Alicia. If Weasley only put in what Dumbledore and Harry wanted him to and not what would interest the public, he'd be accused of political bias," Alex explained.

"As if the Oracle doesn't accuse him of that anyhow," Aurelius smirked. "Your trick, Alicia." Alicia snapped her fingers, and the cards began to stack one on top of the other on its edge, the bottom Jack wobbling as it tried to balance it all before the cards neatly stacked themselves in front of her.

"It's a good likeness," Zack commented as he gazed at the drawing. "But why do you have him so far to the left? And what's with all the crumbled buildings and stuff in the background?"

"Well, the paper said they were in Egypt, and something about that seemed to remind me of something. I don't know why I put him so far over," Alicia said.

"Come on, are you going to play or aren't you?" Aurelius asked impatiently.

"You know it's strange, Alicia, but I'm really getting to see what you mean about him looking familiar. He's starting to look familiar to me too," Andrew agreed. "You sure it's not a painting you've seen here? Did you ask the Professor?" Alicia began to answer then stopped herself, glancing at the others. This was hardly the time to bring up Caprica Dusthorn.

"Now don't go bothering Dumbledore over missing pictures. Don't you think the man has enough to do what with the goblin business and all?" Aurelius scowled at Andrew.

"How is he, Aurelius?" Alex asked quietly. "Xavier, I mean."

"He's all right, considering," Aurelius shrugged, playing a card. "Keeps to himself mostly, only goes out to do prefect duties and attend meetings. He only talks to Jocelyn and me, really, and then only to relay orders to her and have me run house errands. He's not too happy about having to stay here for the holidays, though."

"What? Stay here at the castle?" Alex frowned.

"His parents are still in hiding, and Dumbledore thought considering how things are it'd be safer if he stayed here," Aurelius explained, calling up a breeze and swirling the cards in the air before calling the trick into his stack.

"Poor Xavier. If there is only something we could do," Alex said, barely even paying attention to which suit she was laying down.

"I think we should just leave him alone," Aurelius shrugged. Alex gave him a dirty look. "Alicia, are you going to play or not?"

"I wonder how old Rinan Scur is," she said thoughtfully, playing a card. "Didn't grandfather say he was a business acquaintance? Was Grandfather in excavation as well?"

"Yes, until he let Lucius Malfoy in as a partner and Malfoy took out so many loans on the company that it went bankrupt," Aurelius said, sorting through his remaining cards thoughtfully.

"So your grandfather used to build basements and pools and stuff like that?" Zacchius asked skeptically.

"No, you idiot, he was a treasure excavator," Aurelius said, rolling his eyes.

"Here, let me explain, it's hardly his fault he doesn't know what it is," Alex chided Aurelius. Aurelius merely rolled his eyes again, throwing down a card. "An excavator is a special sort of licensed treasure hunter who stake claims on archaeological digs that Muggles uncover. See, the wizard communities around the world just don't have the manpower or the funds to try and scramble a team of ancient experts to hide all the magic artifacts every single time a Muggle unearths something, so they sign off these charters to excavation companies to go over the sites for them. Technically, these companies work for free, but they get to keep all artifacts, as long as the items are not banned by the government they're working for or are otherwise protected, in which case they go to the officials. But everything else… be it bits of magic clay, charmed gold statues, whatever, goes to the team, who sell them to make a profit off the venture. Gringotts' Excavation is the largest of these, of course, but anyone is welcome to start a company provided they can prove expertise and such. The main thing is the company has to show they can get rid of any signs of magic at the site they're assigned to. If they prove they can do that without upsetting Muggle artifacts they get better jobs and more extensive claims, so they have the potential of making more money."

"So excavators are like a group of Indiana Joneses, but the stuff never quite makes it to the museum," Zacchius said thoughtfully. "But if all the stuff gets sold to private dealers, doesn't a lot of ancient history get lost?"

"Why would it be lost? I doubt anyone's melting any of that down," Aurelius shrugged. "What's important is that it's not in Muggle hands, right?" Zacchius frowned thoughtfully and didn't comment.

"Egypt is the hardest country to get that sort of license… and they have bans and protection orders on nearly everything. Gringotts' does a lot of business there, of course, but they won't give smaller companies the time of day unless they've got a decent reputation in other places. I wonder why Rinan even bothered to try there?" Alex mused.

"Well it says in the paper he was trying to renew an old license," Alicia said. "So he's been there before."

"Which also means they must have had a decent reputation at the time they were doing it," Alex added with growing excitement. "What a life they must have had! Searching for buried treasure! Exploring tombs that haven't been opened in thousands of years…"

"Sounds like glorified grave robbing, if you ask me," said Zack.

"Protecting the Muggle public, traveling all over the world…why that sounds just like something I could do!"

"Among all the slimy crawling things, spiders and scorpions that make their homes there," Aurelius commented.

"Oh. Well, maybe they'd need an off site correspondent," Alex mused. The others merely shook their heads. "Or maybe they could use a publicist! I could do a documentary or something."

"Alex, no offense, but I think Aurelius is right," Andrew said. "Perhaps you should try to think of something a little more, well, practical."

"All the same it was a nice thought," Alex daydreamed, frowning at her cards. "I bet they'd have been famous or something by now if it hadn't been for Voldemort. Grandmother would be alive to teach us all sorts of things, maybe we'd have entered the business."

"Assuming we ever were born," Aurelius said sternly. "Alex, trust me, what-if's do more harm than good. Stars know I've had my lesson in that."

"You know, I think Alex might be onto something…" Alicia murmured, and everyone else looked at her confusedly. "I think I have an idea where I've seen this picture before! Alex, Andrew, don't you remember? It was in the Pig's Pannage last year!"

"You don't mean in the massacre one…"

"No, no, no, Alex! The photo, the one that yelled at us, remember? About taking their treasure? I think Rinan Scur was in that picture!" Alicia said.

"What picture?" Aurelius squinted.

"Sorry, Rel it was while we were, well…"

"Spying on me," Aurelius finished icily, throwing down his cards.

"We need to check and see for sure," Alicia decided getting up.

"What? Right now?" Andrew said with surprise. "But we're not supposed to leave the castle…"

"Mum and Father are probably at Hogsmeade already so I doubt they'll be paying attention to what we're doing, and the townsfolk certainly won't notice three more. Besides, we can be back in five minutes easy," Alicia said.

"Can I go?" Zack asked brightly.

"Sure, let's go do it now. Has everyone got their…"

"Wait, wait, wait! Have you all gone completely mad?" Aurelius said, pushing his cards away. "Do you have any idea what's going to happen if you get caught? Well, let me remind you it wasn't only the school's decision to suspend our town privileges but our parents, so not only would our houses be sure to lose countless points for our actions, but our parents and yours Zacchius would hit the roof. Need I remind you we only have a week and a half left until the holidays? We have tests starting on Wednesday we probably ought to be studying for. In fact if you all go ahead with this nonsense, I'm staying here and doing just that."

"You won't go with us?"

"I certainly will not. I have no intention of costing my house points this year," Aurelius said firmly, picking up the cards.

"Points? Since when do Snapes care about points?" Zack asked, receiving a cold look in response.

"I have always cared about points, and my house, unlike someone else we all know," Aurelius said. "Do as you like, but I think you all ought to stay here. If you change your mind, I'll be in the library."

"And here I thought he was a pain last year," Zack said when he walked away.

"Never mind, we'd better go if we're going," Alex said, getting up.

"I am if no one else, because I feel like I have to know the truth. It's been bugging me all year," Alicia insisted. She then held up her hand as she swung over to where Morfinn was sitting, breathing in some foul smelling eucalyptus potion simmering in a small pot in front of him, sighing in apparent relief. He was supposed to be studying for his early finals, but it was apparent right away that he wasn't getting much done. "Morfinn, if anyone asks where we are, we went to the bathroom," she told him as they passed by, heading towards the back entrance.

"Sure, Alicia," he said, sticking his nose in the noxious steam again before thinking about it. "All of you together?" Shrugging, Morfinn flipped to his bookmark in A Theory on Apparating and the Spread of Disease and promptly forgot all about it.

Properly dressed in dark cloaks and bundled for the weather, Alicia and the others had cautiously entered the Pig's Pannage from the private room from a painting of a dark empty graveyard that looked eerily like somewhere they had seen before.

"The Four Horseman? But where are they?" Zack asked, and the others quickly hushed him to keep his voice down.

"Pray you never see them. Even in magic paintings seeing them is a premonition of death," Alicia warned him as they stepped out, slowly cracking the door towards the pub to look out. "It's busy. Now's as good of a time as any, I suppose," she whispered and the four of them crept out the door. Immediately they heard a yelp and the bartender stepped over, scowling at them.

"Here now, what were you doing back there, then?" Culwch scowled at them suspiciously. Andrew cleared his throat.

"We came in the back," he said in a low voice.

"Obviously," Culwch said dryly. "And as I don't know you, I suggest you don't do it again unless you want to want to deal with the end of my axe or my wand, whichever is closest in range," he warned them. "Back entrance is for special guests only and whoever you are, you aren't special guests."

"Right. Sorry," Andrew said, nudging them on along. It was then Alicia that led the way, her eyes fixed on the walls until she finally spied the photo and headed over, hurrying to take the seat.

"Something's missing. Where's the screaming one?" Alex wondered.

"Who cares?" Alicia said in annoyance, fishing out a glass mug from her pocket. Alex and Andrew did the same, and Zack stared at them in disbelief.

"You carry around glass mugs?" he said.

"Father's orders. We all have a dish set in our chests for emergencies," Andrew said, taking another one out and handing it to him.

"I'm surprised he doesn't make you have a kitchen sink in there too," Zacchius said sarcastically.

"No, but we just got these neat little water jugs that automatically refill when they get low," Alex said brightly, but Zacchius seemed unimpressed. Alicia was too busy studying the picture to respond, coming out of it only when a serving witch that had seen kinder years came over to their table.

"I see you've all been 'ere a'fore," the hag said, noting the glasses.

"Juice all around, please," Andrew said, "Pasteurized, but not fermented obviously."

The hag snorted at that.

"I'll see what I can dig up," she said before moving on.

"'Ere, wot are yoo lookin' at?" said one of the men Alicia didn't recognize in the picture.

"You, of course. You are a photo, you know," Alicia said impatiently. "I can't believe I'm talking to a photo."

"You talk to paintings," Zack said.

"That's different," Alicia said in annoyance. "Paintings by a skilled artist capture not only the moment but bits and pieces of a person's memories, hopes, aspirations… all sorts of things that lend to them having almost a life of their own. Photos, on the other hand, can only capture people as they were when the photo is taken, nor do they have any true sentience, like some of the paintings in Hogwarts do. In short, they're pretty stupid."

"'Oo you callin' stupid?" asked the talkative one.

"Well, we can find out some basic information at least," Alex said, taking out a piece of parchment. "Might I ask your names and occupations?"

"I'm Wylie List," said the talkative one with the dirty red hair. "Best digger there is, next to my brother here," he said, looking over at what appeared to be a much thinner version of himself.

"Fyren List, if ya please, charmed, I'm sure," said the one next to him.

"You're the Red Fist? The known Muggle murderer?" Alex said grimly. Fyren raised a brown in surprise.

"Me? I'd not 'urt a flea, dear'eart! Red Fist?" he said, glancing thoughtfully at the gloved hands. "Maybe. The work isn't easy, you know."

"Alex, don't forget this photo was taken forty years ago. I don't think he's a criminal yet," Andrew murmured.

"Criminal?" Burst out another, squinting at them. "Who are you calling a criminal?"

"Just because we're of dark wizard descent doesn't mean we'd break the law, young ones," said a familiar figure in a calm voice. "Bend it, perhaps. I am Rinan Scur, Expert of ancient runes and texts."

"Wow. You have hair!" Andrew said, staring out of his out of control brown locks. Rinan squinted at him.

"Of course I have hair," he said with obvious dislike.

"Does he lose his hair?" A burly man asked, laughing so hard he barely got out the name of Brogan.

"And I am Branson," said a dark, rather unfriendly man with a discolored eye standing near Brogan. "We're cleaners… of artifacts, that is," he said in a way which made the four glance at each other uneasily. "And this is Weylin, our rigger. He handles ropes, winches, and carpenter stuff we might need." A sickly brown-skinned man with a heavily marred face tipped his wide brimmed hat at them.

"Branson, Brogan, Weylin. Got it," Alex said, putting it down.

"And if you'll excuse the blur," said an older, weathered man with dark olive skin in a white suit, "My name is Doctor Naresh, expert in burial rituals," he said with a slight bow, pushing a fuzzy blurred spot at the edge of the picture out of the way.

"Ak'tchuly, I took 'im on as Scur's number one boy, but being 'es married, wull, it didn' work out as I was 'oping," Fyren said with obvious mischief, winking in spite of Scur turning around and poking him with the tip of his wand threateningly.

"But where's Brad?" Alicia wondered.

"Jasper Brad?" Wylie said with surprise. "That overstuffed robe? He'd never come down to the site if 'e could help it. Isn't that right, Tom?"

"Someone had to do the numbers," said a muffled voice that sent a chill down their backs. There could be no doubt whose voice it was.

"So, Thomas Craw took the picture?" Zack said, the others still staring at it warily. "How can we hear him if he's not in the photo?"

"Oh, he's in the photo," Naresh said distainfully.

"Aye," Wylie agreed, pointing at the blur. "That's Tom's thumb, that is," he said, the others in the picture snickering at that. "'Course, what bet'r way ta' get out of it. 'E didn' wan' anyone ta' see 'im 'ere when 'e shoulda' been 'ome."

"And where exactly is here?"

"Egypt, a' cor," Wylie said, jerkin his thumb behind him. "Near Memphis. But we're about done 'ere. Gon'ta move on soon."

"Move on?" Alex asked curiously. "Where are you going?" But Wylie and Fyren both shrugged, and none of the others even looked interested in the question, making a move as if to pose for the picture.

"I told you, they only know that instant in time," Alicia said, frowning at the painting critically. "Besides, it's not really important, is it?"

"It could be very important," Alex said, leaning over the table. "Scur is obviously back in business, and if he's in that area now, there has got to be a connection between what happened to Brad and whatever it was they were doing there. We've got to find out what's so important that it's worth destroying lives for before anybody else shares the same fate."

"What? Do you mean now?" Zacchius said with surprise.

"Yes, right now," Alex agreed. "Not only is time of the essence, but as much as I love my brother, I'm not sure we can trust him to keep it quiet if we try to sneak off twice in the same week. Alicia, we need to find a way to get to the licensing office. Do you still have that old picture you did of Cairo when we snuck off to visit Harry a few summers ago?"

"Yes, it's at home…"

"Good enough, we'll take floo powder there. Make sure all of you specify the hearth in Alicia's room and regroup there. Then when we get to town, we track down the office and then Andrew," Alex said glancing at him, "will help us find the records we need and get back before anyone misses us."

Suddenly Alex felt an extremely cold chill on her back and looked up to see a group of small dark shadows approaching them. It took Alex less than a second after that to identify the gnarled green hands and the snarling look of a pack of goblins, gazing at them with a look of pure ice coming from their dark eyes.

"I don't know who you are," the one in front snarled. "But you are in our seats."

"Yours? Are your names on it?" Zack challenged, but Alex hit him soundly on the arm.

"Have some sense, Zacchius! This is not worth fighting goblins about!" she hissed at him.

"Wise advice," the goblin said, smiling thinly as Andrew and Alex quickly ushered the other two away, excusing themselves as one by one the goblins eyed them as they sat down. With a swoop of one hand, the goblin who had spoken to them swept the drinks off the table and onto the floor, making the four of them jump back to avoid the splatter.

"Come on," Alex said in a low murmur from where the four stood, noting the wandering eyes of those who passed them. "It's time to do some investigating."

* * *

Severus had made it a point to give the new Deputy Headmaster every opportunity to willingly or unwillingly volunteer for certain duties in the school, including chaperoning for Hogsmeade. With the children all in the castle, Jennifer was no more interested in another shopping excursion than he was, so it was decided they would instead spend a quiet hour or two in the indoor gym before helping each other finalize their tests so they would be free to concentrate on packing for home.

As they did a series of sparring forms, sideways glances were often passed, each waiting for the other to make even the slightest mistake, allowing the other free reigns to smirk. Friendly though it was, the two of them spent the time sizing one another up in case they decided to spar afterwards. That was when the true competition began, for in many ways they were evenly matched; Severus with his catlike movements and speed, Jennifer with her shorter stature and blocks powerful enough to allow her the time to think out her moves carefully rather than instantaneously. It had always come down to whoever it was that was feeling their best that day being the victor, so it was the event of trying to find out who was having the better day that had started the almost flirtatious taunting between them during forms. But as they finished the last of the normal forms flawless to the letter the two of them regarded each other thoughtfully.

"Perhaps it's time to take our forms to another level?" Severus suggested musingly, Jennifer raising an eyebrow at that. "Shall we try the dodging formations for Dragon in a Bee's Nest?"

"In a what?" Jennifer said in complete surprise. "I don't know it. Where did you learn that from?"

"Your father, actually," Severus admitted reluctantly.

"What? He never taught me anything of the sort! When did he teach it to you?" Jennifer said hotly, not giving him time to answer. "He probably thought I wasn't up to whatever his standards are these days. Oh what I wouldn't give…"

"To show him up? Well now's your chance," Severus interrupted. "Unless you would prefer him as a teacher rather than myself?" Jennifer grimaced.

"Well, since you put it that way," Jennifer said meekly, Severus merely nodding in return.

"Very well, watch me in the mirror then and follow my lead," Severus said.

They started right off the bat with a complex defensive block pattern that surprised Jennifer and after that she did her best to stay with him, determined not to show how difficult it was for her to keep up. With deep annoyance she realized he had slowed down considerably for her, and then had to stop completely when he backed into a spell attack maneuver that she could hardly have expected, staring at him with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry. I will call out the moves on the move before. Would that help?" Severus said.

"Fine. But don't patronize me," she scolded him, going back to her place. But as they got ready to start she caught an image out of the corner of her eye and turned with surprise to see Earham Singh standing in the doorway.

"Pardon me. Am I interrupting?"

"No, not really, just working on a new form," Jennifer said politely. "I don't suppose you do sparring stances?"

"Yes, now and again for exercise. My father insisted I have a balanced education," Earham chuckled. "Might I join you?"

"Of course," Jennifer said enthusiastically, glancing at Severus who suffered a forced smile that was anything close to enthusiastic.

"Perhaps we should do something more basic then…"

"No, no, I wouldn't want to interrupt what you were doing, Severus, do continue," Earham insisted, tossing aside his cloak, adjusting his silver cufflinks on his tailor-fit dark tunic and slipping off a pair of crystal rings stuffing them into his pants pocket.

It was strange to Jennifer seeing him next to Severus as the form started; Earham dark toned and Severus pale, he so finely but simply dressed and Severus wearing the same basic robe he had preferred to wear for over twenty-five years, and Earham of medium height and build making Severus look like a haunted scarecrow in comparison. But as they got into the complicated form, Jennifer soon realized how easily Earham matched Severus' own catlike movements and with such perfect flow that Jennifer couldn't help but be a bit amazed by it. There was also a strangeness in his gaze as she caught it in the mirrors in front of them; a strangeness she couldn't seem to identify in either word or emotion. Finally, Severus called the last move and she gasped in surprise so unready was she for the twist dodge combination that as the other two rolled to their feet she found herself on her rear, chuckling softly at herself.

"Jennifer, you were behind the entire set," Severus scolded her, but the expression on her face clearly indicated he knew something else was wrong.

"I let myself get distracted, Severus, I'm so sorry!" Jennifer admitted.

"Well, if you keep that up, you will hardly be any fun to beat in our match," he grumped.

"Are you going to spar too, then?" Earham asked with interest as he went into another set of exercises on his own. "Might I take on the winner?"

"Thank you, but there is a slight possibility that Jennifer might win and no one spars my wife but me," Severus said in such a tone that Jennifer couldn't help but be a bit amused by it.

"In that case I suppose you wouldn't be much of a challenge then," Earham chuckled, practicing a sliding dodge that hurt Jennifer's knees just watching it. Severus glanced back at Jennifer, who promptly brushed her hands against each other as if washing her hands of the whole affair.

"Very well, a short disarm match then," Severus agreed. Jennifer's uncaring attitude immediately turned to one of extreme interest.

"Good! Just for fun, of course," Earham assured Jennifer. But Jennifer was hardly worried. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Severus in such a match, at least on sporting terms.

Suddenly she noticed a change in Earham's face, a viciousness she hadn't seen before, and the undeniable cold steel gaze of focused anger as he took a crouched stance to begin. She was certain that the anger was not focused on Severus or she would have read the reason for it being there clearly. Instead, he was using it as energy to funnel his attack, and Jennifer realized chillingly that he was taking the spar much more seriously than Severus. But before she could say anything or come up with a reason for them not to go on they began the match, both throwing out an offensive spell.

Immediately it escalated, and Jennifer found herself edging further away calculating the moves and spells being cast and concentrating more about the fierceness and speed of the bout. At first Severus seemed to easily keep up the unbelievable pace that had been set, but as time wore on he began to slow, beginning to block more than attack until finally Jennifer wondered if Severus hadn't just met his match.

Severus himself was beginning to come to wonder the same thing, diving into a roll as the Serpent Bind spell attempted to ensnare him. To be sure, there could be little doubt it was Severus' spells that were the more powerful by far, but physically there could be little doubt that Earham was in much better shape. Strength wasn't everything, and Severus knew he was going to have to think fast to come up with a weakness spell strong enough to get through Earham's perfect blocking styles.

The instantaneous hesitation to ruminate over the problem gave Earham an extra attack and Severus rolled again, finding himself beside the mirror as he forced himself up to one knee. Perhaps he had moved too quickly, for he felt slightly disoriented, gazing with some bewilderment as he saw himself in the mirror, wondering why it seemed strange to him. It was then he realized that the image was standing… and as if in slow motion he realized that he was standing as well, murmuring a spell and blasting Earham with such force that he couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking when he cast it. Earham flung backwards from the great force of it and right into the wall, the look on his face unable to mask the stinging pain of the blow. But Jennifer saw something else, frowning at him unsurely while Severus swiftly moved over to him.

"I'm terribly sorry. I must have gotten carried away with the moment. Here let me help you…"

"No, it's all right, Severus, please, I don't need help," Earham insisted, holding his hand up in protest before struggling into his feet, wincing as he did so. "You packed quite a punch. I thought I had you there. You're in very good condition…for your age." Severus squinted at him.

"Perhaps we should go to the hospital wing so Madame Pomfrey can make sure you're all right," Jennifer said.

"No, no healers, please! Honestly, I'm quite uninjured, and besides, I don't think any of us would want to explain it to Dumbledore," he added with a mischievous twinkle in his dark eyes. "I think I'll just go to my rooms and take it easy. Have a good day," he added with a gentle smile before leaving. Severus glanced over at Jennifer's concerned face without surprise, watching her intently wait for him to be out of hearing range before she said anything.

"Severus, did anything seem odd to you about that spar?" Jennifer murmured.

"No, not really. Typical bout for me," Severus said expressionlessly.

"Oh, honestly, Severus, do be serious!"

"Very well, I suppose you're right. What did you pick up from him?" Severus asked in a low voice.

"It was very strange. I wasn't getting thought so much as I was picking up emotions… determination, anger…but the anger part was not directed at you, I don't think. More at himself. But that wasn't what bothered me the most," Jennifer admitted, Severus tapping his fingers impatiently, waiting for her to continue. "There's something of a duality about him."

"Duality?" Severus mused thoughtfully.

"Well, think about it, he's one of the most mild mannered individuals I've ever met except perhaps the Professor and Francis Pyther…" Severus snorted at that. "And yet when he was fighting, it was like he was an entirely different person. He's hiding something, Severus, trying to shut the whole world out. And for some reason it frightens me."

"Jennifer, we were sparring. Few people who take the sport seriously go in with the same mannerisms in which they normally act."

"Yes, but this was different, more extreme…like a Jekyl and Hide syndrome…two sides of the same coin but neither one wanting to face the other. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I've had a lot of experience with people with duality issues," Jennifer said in such a dry tone that Severus' gaze became fixed.

"And just what exactly did you mean to imply by that?"

"Well, Severus, you have to admit you act much differently in class…"

"Don't you turn this into a professional argument. Especially since your professional personality is starkly different as well. At least I am able to maintain some level of discipline…"

"What? I have no trouble with discipline!" Jennifer said defensively.

"And yet what is your priority? Using their first names, occasional breakfast parties, babying those that fall behind instead of forcing them to do their own work. Admit it, Jennifer, you are more concerned with whether or not the students like you than how they're doing in class."

"Then how do you explain the fact that many of my students broke the wizard average for OWLS and NEWTS both last year?"

"So you know how to drill, anyone can do that, and besides, that was last year's OWLS where much of the material was old and in some ways counterproductive to learn," Severus said sternly. "Do you truly think they'll be up to the new standards? Mine will be."

"Is that some sort of challenge?" Jennifer asked hotly.

"Indeed. Care to spar over it?" Severus asked with a flash in his eyes.

"Oh, I'll do more than that. I'm going to make you eat your wor…" a strange chime sounded from apparently out of no where, making Jennifer forget to finish her threat. "What on earth is that?"

"Oh, the mirror," Severus mused, taking it out of in inside of his cloak. "Don't you recall, I gave all the children folding coin wallets this year. The mirrors in them were charmed."

"Well, you could have told me," Jennifer said irritably as he took out a small mirror.

"Yes?" Severus asked. "Of course we are still here. We're in the gym, if you want to know. Why? What?" Severus immediately reached for his watch, Jennifer watching him anxiously. "Meet us in my office."

"What is it?" she asked as he stared at the watch, color draining from his face.

"Apparently Zacchius Black and our children decided to go to Hogsmeade regardless of our orders on some sort of wild goose chase hours ago, and haven't returned."

"What?" Jennifer said in shock.

"Aurelius apparently opted to stay behind. Come on, we need to find out what's going on and fast," Severus said, the two of them racing out of the room and towards his office.


	20. The Unintentionally Extended Holiday

Chapter Twenty

The Unintentionally Extended Holiday

"If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. A good investigation starts with a proper disguise," Alex said, the others gazed at her dubiously as she foraged through her cloak and took out a phial.

"I don't think I've ever once heard you say that, Alex," Alicia admitted.

"Well, I'm saying it now," Alex said, slightly annoyed. "Sherlock Holmes used to use disguises all the time to get information, and so will we. Alicia, you and Zack work on making yourselves to look like urchins. Wait outside and keep watch on things. It'll be your job to make note of people entering and leaving the office and listen for anything unusual. And, of course, to run for backup if anything goes wrong."

"Run for backup? Like to who?"

"Snape, of course," Alex said.

"What? No way! He'll yell at us!" Alicia said.

"It'll be a cold day in hell before I ever go to him for help again," Zacchius agreed. "He doesn't listen to me, he only uses anything I say to make me look like a fool. I'm not going to Snape."

"Really, Alex, what are you thinking?" Alicia agreed. "How about Mother?"

"No! She'll just go to him!" Zack protested. "We'll go to my Dad. He won't tell anyone. Especially my Mom."

"All right, that'll do," Alex nodded with a sigh, glancing at her watch. "Bottoms up, I suppose."

"What is that, anyhow?" Andrew asked, squinting suspiciously.

"Something I liberated from Mum's office when she wasn't looking for emergencies like this…along with something else to make it work right," Alex winked, glancing at her watch before holding her nose and drinking it down. The other three stared at her as her face turned green, stepping back cautiously. Her coloring improved then and she smiled slightly as if feeling a bit better. But then she blinked, and in the time it took for them to cover their mouths and let out a muffled cry she suddenly grew an inch and her hair lengthened, pulling itself painfully tight into a braid while they watched, her nose changing ever so slightly while her eyes lightened from black to a dramatic green.

"Woah," Zacchius stammered as Alex, who had been bent over in pain stood straight up again, taking care to adjust her cloak and make sure her blue tie was neatly showing. "You look like… like…"

"Mum," Andrew finished and shook his head disapprovingly. "And if she ever finds out, she's going to kill you."

"What better way to get information than be the famous Professor Craw?" Alex said with a grin, looking over at Zack and Alicia's attempts at portraying common street rats. "Ditch the shoes. Add more dirt."

"No shoes? In this heat?" Zack protested.

"Fine, turn them into some makeshift slippers or something then. There now, let's see what we can find out," Alex said, sounding confident despite the fact that inside she was more than a little nervous about impersonating her mother.

Without another word, Andrew nodded and disappeared while the other two ran ahead, dutifully taking a position to either side of the doorway as Alexandria entered. She took a quick glance around but no one seemed to be waiting or even paying attention to her, even though several clerks sat behind dusty desks in the back of the room, writing in large ledgers or studying old scrolls. Clearing her throat did nothing, and she realized very quickly that standing back and waiting was hardly something her mother was likely to do. Getting up her nerve she went to the desk closest to the front, tapping her fingers against it when he didn't look up.

"Starting a new claim or reporting on an old one?" the sandy skinned wizard finally asked.

"Neither, actually," Alex said. "Actually, my name is Professor Craw Snape, and I'm here seeking a bit of information."

"Ah!" said the wizard with more interest, putting out his palm. Alex stared at it with such bewilderment that he slowly began to frown.

"Oh, money!" Alex said, frantically searching in her pockets. "I have seven sickles…"

"Seven sickles?" the wizard repeated laughing outright until he realized she was being serious. "You have got to be joking! I haven't had an offering like that in over thirty years, and that was from a lil' orphan goblin trying to locate his parents. I had heard that you and your father weren't close but I would have expected he would have at least had the courtesy of teaching you a proper bribe, especially as long as we've had an association. In fact, if he had stiffed me in the slightest when he came in last week, I would throw you out right now. Five galleons is the proper bribe amount for me overlooking the Treasure Information Processing fee."

"Treasure Information Processing fee?" Alexandria murmured.

"Yes, you know, the T.I.P. you pay to the government here for asking nosy questions in wizard government offices," he said impatiently. "Of course then you have to fill out nasty forms stating you were here and it comes right out of your bank vault, and on top of that I only get twenty percent of the ten galleons they charge." Alex winced at that. She only had thirteen galleons total in her vault, but not one on her. Could they risk going back? No, the potion would wear off, she realized.

"You know, honestly…honestly, yes, that's it…I'd rather go ahead and pay the TIP if you don't mind. I mean, being a Truth Seeker, I wouldn't feel it… honest… to cheat the government and all that, so we'll go ahead and do it that way," Alex said, nodding unenthusiastically. The wizard in front of her furrowed his brows, looking even less enthusiastic than she did as he tried to sift through the back of his filing cabinet to see if he actually had a copy. "Do you mind if I sign it over to come out of my daughter's vault?" The wizard stopped his search and stared at her.

"You can only sign off on a vault that states you are one of the primary key holders, Professor, surely you know that. Are you listed as a primary key holder on that vault?"

"No, actually, I think it's secondary," Alex realized miserably. "Oh, well, it was a thought. Bring on the forms then," she said. The wizard sighed and brought them out and slowly she began to fill them out, a lump began to grow in her stomach knowing it would be a matter of days before her parents would see such an odd withdraw from their vault. "So, my father was here, you say? What did he want?"

"Simply to look up someone's licensing record," the wizard shrugged.

"Oh? Whose?"

"Are you going to finish that form or not?" the wizard asked testily. Alex stared at the dotted line asking for her signature and nearly wrote it in before she finally put the quill down and crumpled it up.

"You know, I think perhaps I don't need information that badly after all," she said chuckling nervously and got up. "Sorry about that. But I think I'll be going."

"Wait," the wizard said in annoyance, snapping his fingers and putting out his hands. "I'll take those seven sickles then for wasting my time."

Sheepishly Alex handed them over and hurried out, feeling extremely silly to say the least when she came out empty handed. She paused outside the door and frowned when she didn't see Alicia or Zack. But then she heard a hiss and looked around to see them huddled behind a building and hurried over.

"What are you two doing over here?" Alex asked.

"We discovered a bit of a hitch with your plan," Zack said acidly. "Neither one of us know Egyptian. Some oddly dressed policeman of some sort with a gun came around and started jabbering at us. I expected he was telling us to shove off, though, so we wandered around a bit until we thought it was safe to come back."

"Oh. Well, it seems that I ran into a hitch of my own. No coinage," Alex said. "Apparently the local officials expect to be bribed at least five galleons before they say anything."

"That's ten weeks of allowance!" Alicia said, wide-eyed.

"Right, so you see why I didn't find out anything… well, except the fact that father was here last week asking something about licensing and he paid the bribe."

"Wait a minute…your father, Alex, or Aunt Jennifer's father?" Zack asked. Alex paused a moment.

"Oh, you're right! He was talking about grandfather! Of course," Alex said, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Grandfather was here?" Alicia said worriedly. "But he's not allowed to leave the country! He'll go to jail if he's caught out of his parole area! Whatever would he be doing here?"

"Perhaps Andrew found out something," Alex said, peering around the corner, wondering if he might have missed them coming out.

"I just hope he didn't run into any of your little plan hitches too," Zack murmured, peering around the corner too before rolling his eyes. "Why am I looking when I know I'm not going to see anything?" he asked no one in particular.

But it was in that moment that a short hooded figure came hurrying around the corner who had his fat hands gloved and face covered in a wrap. Suddenly as he rushed to the door of the office he was flattened as if he had walked into something, and as the three of them stood in horror they saw him wrestling with what had been in his way. Alex and the others quickly rushed up as the hood came off the furious goblin, his arms in a position that made Alex immediately aware that he was strangling him.

"Stop! Please stop, he's my brother!" Alex cried out in a loud voice diving in the middle of the fight.

"Alicia, don't!" Zack hissed when she pulled out her wand ready to fry her brother's assailant. "Look over there!" He pointed to a group small group of curious but wary Muggle spectators gathering. "That guard is going to be back any moment now!"

"We have to do something!" Alicia pleaded, and Zack reluctantly moved forward, trying to think of some way to break it up. But before he could get there, a burly cloaked figure barreled in like a locomotive, the dust flying up like an unexpected sandstorm. When it cleared, Alex stood with an arm around Andrew and the goblin had recovered himself and was standing next to a completely uncovered Alastor Moody, who met each stare with a tooth chipped grin.

"What, you never seen anyone take offense at a freak before? Move along," he suggested to the crowd in Egyptian, waving them off. "Sorry I got in your way, sir. Hope you're not injured."

"What's going on?" Alicia whispered to Alex.

"We got busted," Andrew said.

"I think we got that part, thanks," Zack said dryly.

"Ah, Jennifer! Nice to see you chaperoning the kids," Moody said in such a sarcastic tone that Alex giggled nervously.

"Just a moment! You don't think for an instant I'm going to let you get away with this, do you?" the goblin snarled angrily. Moody put a quick arm around him, glancing around.

"Why don't we go somewhere a bit quieter to discuss it?" Moody advised and gestured to the policeman heading quickly around the corner with a pair of men chatting excitedly walking beside him. "This way, if you please."

Quickly he turned down the narrow streets behind the office so even Zack who had a very keen since of direction felt quite disoriented, as if they were all passing through a stone labyrinth. At last he turned into a doorway into what appeared to be an abandoned house, for the front room was completely void of anything but a disturbed layer of dust.

"Very well, it's safe to speak here," Moody said in English. "Is anyone hurt?"

"If he's not, he soon will be," the goblin snarled angrily. The children who had been shaking their heads glanced at him warily. "I demand that that child have his invisibility device revoked! This is a case of pure neglect and a direct violation of your international laws that states that no magical device of any kind should be used in such an irresponsibly careless manner to attract Muggle attention…."

"Forgive me sir ah…."

"The name is Napescar, Foreman Napescar, and I'll have you know…"

"Napescar, then…it was the fight itself that attracted attention, not the boy's accidental unsightedness…"

"It wouldn't have happened at all had he been watching where he was going!" he barked. "Let me make this one hundred percent clear to you, Auror. I have direct connections with Gringotts' Board, and I also know the last thing you or these delinquents need is another tangle with them. Now you will make him turn over that device now or I promise you that I will have every legal authority from here to your own country on this and I guarantee you they will not be so forgiving," he said, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Moody let out a sigh and nodded, turning seriously towards Andrew.

"I'm afraid he's got us, Andrew. We can't afford this getting political with everything going on. Give him the cloak," Moody said seriously. Andrew stared at him, his skin turning to paste.

"But Auror Moody, this isn't…"

"No not that cloak, Andrew. Your other cloak?" Moody said with such a deep frown that drove Andrew speechless, unsure of what to do. The old Auror went impatiently over to him and put his hand in Andrew's cloak, pulling around the lining. A second later, much to Andrew's amazement, Moody pulled out another cloak, folding it over his arm a moment to make sure his arm disappeared. Smirking with grim satisfaction, Moody turned back around and handed the cloak to the irate goblin who snatched it from him, inspecting it for himself before stuffing it away.

"Wise move," Napescar said. He eyed each of them once more, lingering the longest on Andrew and the Auror. "I trust for their own safety that these children won't be allowed to travel outside of their own country without proper supervision again. It is a dangerous world, and one not as forgiving as I am," he sneered, the door opening for him as he headed out.

Nobody said anything right away. Alex sat down knowing she would start to change back at any time while Zack and Alicia silently took off their disguises. Andrew merely stood where he had been when Moody had pulled out the cloak, still looking at his own unsurely. Moody had moved over to the window, making positively sure that the goblin wasn't coming back.

"Let this be a lesson to you kids," Moody said at last, pulling out a mirror. "Magic is a wonderful thing, but nothing beats old fashioned slight of hand in a pinch. Hey Cheeks, where are you? Ah yes, I found them, right where I suspected. Tell their parents that we're heading to the southern claim site. And Audi? Tell them they owe me. Big," he added, squinting at the four behind him who were busy contemplating their impending doom.

"Just where are we?" Alex asked in awe. A curiously shaped wooden claim ticket had been the key to take them to the dusty, rugged terrain where several modest tents sat next to a complex hole strung with all sorts of stakes and ropes tiered off in what appeared to be sectioned off at haphazard levels into the hard rock. A white tarp billowed over the small site, and low torches flickered in the fading sunlight.

"We are in what was once Lower Egypt, around the tenth century B.C.," Moody said. "We're in the Upper Nubian desert of Sudan looking for clues to find some place called Ophir. Damned if I know much more than that, you'll have to ask the experts," he shrugged, walking towards the larger tent.

"Experts?" Alex asked curiously. "Are we finally going to find out what all of this is about?"

"That would depend on if you survive the next five minutes or so," Moody said, holding the flap for them to enter the tent. Quite expectedly, the tent proved much bigger than it looked from the outside. The floor had been covered with crates magically converted into floorboards and contained a sitting area decorated with desert flowers on one end and a long table with plenty of chairs on the other. Around the back wall stood large double door food pantry and plenty of lanterns were hanging along the tent poles. At the table, they noted with some dread, sat Severus Snape, huddled over a stack of paperwork with another man, whom they realized with a start was none other than Rinan Scur.

"Another day, another successful recovery!" Alastor declared haughtily, his eyes focusing in on where Audi was sitting on a white floral sofa drinking tea.

"It was hardly a fugitive recovery. You're not allowed to count it!" Audi protested.

"Damned if I can't! I suffered personal hardship to get them!" he insisted, nodding to the two women who had just gotten up from the couch. It was, of course, Jennifer and Anna, neither of which looked very happy to be there.

"I am completely embarrassed that you ended up inconvenienced at all," Jennifer said, the spark in her eyes causing Alex, Alicia and Andrew to shrink a bit. "Outside. Now."

"You too, Zack," Anna agreed. Zack giggled nervously, reluctantly following them out. There could be little doubt that all four of them were in for a tongue-lashing.

As they headed out the door they met Sirius and Aurelius who had been heading in. Alex stopped and squinted at Aurelius accusingly, but Aurelius just shook his head disapprovingly at them.

"Sirius, since you're here, you should probably hear this too," Anna told him as they stepped out. He only hesitated a moment, forcing himself out of the 'pal uncle' mode and into a more serious expression before stepping outside.

"I don't suppose you'd let Uncle Sirius take us to see Victoria Falls before we leave for home?" Aurelius asked, walking over to the table.

"Aurelius, Victoria Falls is on the border of Zimbabwe and is nearly as far south as home is north. I suggest after you study for your Defense test that you spend an hour on geography," Severus said, not looking up from the paperwork in front of him. Scur did look up, glancing between the two of them with interest.

"Well, yes, but it's only a couple portkey stations away from here as opposed to…"

"Books, Aurelius," Severus said in a tone that indicated his patience was wearing thin.

"Have some tea or a soda, son," Audi offered with a smile and Aurelius politely accepted the latter, settling into a chair while she went over to Severus and Rinan. "How's the paperwork coming?"

"Fine, as far as here and Ethiopia are concerned," Rinan murmured in a low voice. "You pay the right people and stay away from the locals and they don't care what you do. Egypt, Saudi, Yemen, Israel… those are other stories. Apparently by the grace of Gringotts' bank all of them seem aware of my current wanted status, and all of their licenses require an ancient runes specialist on staff, as well as an expert on ancient burials and culture to insure that if the site is later uncovered by Muggles that they find everything 'in order.'"

"You have a burial expert?" Moody asked skeptically.

"Had," Rinan murmured, not looking up from the papers he was sifting through, tossing a couple of him her way. "Kanak Naresh, died mysteriously on a Gringotts expedition some years ago."

"Yes, that's who had the extra piece of the map," Severus said, taking out his piece and glancing at the runes upon it thoughtfully. "Which means the closest thing we have to a burial expert is Fyren List."

"Lovely," Audi said, shaking her head. "Son, I can't stress this to you enough. That man is far from stable. The thoughts in his head spit out nothing but a garbled string of unrelated events as only an insane man's mind can, with no distinguishing lines between his truths or his fabrications."

"He wasn't always that way," Rinan murmured. "He was the brightest digger I knew before he lost his brother."

"That makes him all the more dangerous now. By all rights, we'd be all better off if we turned him in to the authorities now instead of later. We can always hire another digger," Audi said.

"Fyren lost everything too, you know," Rinan said, finally pushing away the papers in front of him. "This… mission…this quest…this hell away from Voldemort…we risked all we had to be here, and now only the four are left. I don't plan to deny any of us a chance to get it what we came for, and I'm sure neither does Craw."

"Severus, please. Talk some sense into him!" Audi sighed. "The man can't be trusted."

"Yes, I do agree with that point, Audi, which is precisely why I would prefer he stay here," Severus said firmly. "Enemies close at hand, remember?" Audi frowned but didn't comment again, watching him shuffle through papers. "All we need from these other sites now is research information, correct? The true location is here?"

"Here or in Ethiopia," Scur said. "We're on the right track, Severus, I feel it. We were close before…all we lack now is some pinpoint of where Othir once laid; the area, the port, or even which set of mountains where the mine lies. And then with the aid of the map hidden under the riddle we will at last find out what lies beneath."

"Perhaps, but then we must decide which path," Severus murmured, sliding his map piece next to the others and straightening them. With a complex gesture, the runes faded into a complex map of underground tunnels.

"I'd think what path to take would be obvious, Severus," Rinan said.

"Perhaps too obvious," Severus mused. "Very well, Rinan, I suppose you've found your runes expert. But we still need someone to fill in for burials. I think I know someone who might."

"Not Bill Weasley," Moody frowned. "He works for the bank."

"So he does, but Heather does not. Furthermore, being a Muggle she would have expertise on what Muggles expect to find far beyond what many of us would."

"Sounds like Naresh," Rinan said, thinking back with a slight chuckle and a look of loss. "Not that many really knew he was a squib, poor bloke. Amazing that he lasted as long as he did. Might be a bit rough down here for a Muggle woman though, don't you think, Snape?"

"Oh, I think you'll find that Heather can take care of her own affairs, assuming she chooses to help us with this little project. But first thing's first. What all do I need to do to apply for a license?" Severus asked. Before Rinan could answer, the children walked in with dark, miserable expressions planted on their faces, walking to the sofa and sitting down obediently like disciplined pups trying to stay out of the line of sight of their owners.

Jennifer followed behind them trying her best not to seem agitated as she went over to the table and sat down. Sirius poked his head in a moment later.

"We're taking Zacchius back now. Anything in particular I should say to Dumbledore?"

"Merely tell him that everyone is safe and to expect further word from me," Severus said. "Oh, and let Zacchius know that besides detention, he and Andrew lost a hundred points total for their leaving school grounds after being expressly told not to. I thought he ought to know, being the first one there, so that he can have the liberty to explain it to his fellow classmates."

"A hundred points. Now why am I not surprised?" Sirius said sarcastically, but left without another word. There could be little doubt even to him that the point loss of fifty for each of them was warranted. Jennifer nodded supportively at Severus before turning curiously to the map in front of her. Suddenly she squinted.

"It's underground," Jennifer said with a frown. "Why does it always have to be underground?"

"Well, most mines are underground, Mrs. Snape," Rinan said carefully. He glanced at Audi who had a very amused expression on her face.

"Assuming we can even find it, Jennifer, there's hardly any need for you to go down there," Severus reassured her.

"Me? As in, not us?" Jennifer said expressionlessly, but Severus' expression already told her the answer.

"Well, actually there's something we need to discuss…"

"Oh, no, here it comes. I knew it! I just knew you wouldn't be able to stay out of things!" Jennifer scolded.

"Yes, you must be rubbing off on me," Severus murmured, glancing over at the four troublemakers peering curiously over the sofa at them. "I am merely attempting to protect our investment." Jennifer appeared even more nonplussed than before. "Now, I need you to do me a favor. They need someone to fill in as an ancient rune expert, and I am nothing if not overqualified for the license. Without certain research to help narrow down the possibilities of a site they can't get much farther, so I believe I am going to request a personal leave for this last week."

"You're staying here?" Jennifer said with a frown.

"I need you to go back with the children and make sure the right set of tests get out…"

"And mark them afterwards, no doubt," Jennifer said dryly.

"That's the general idea, yes," Severus admitted in a low voice. "For classes which still have two class periods to go, make sure they get a copy of the review and send them out to self study. I'll write a note for you to take back to Hermione and Dumbledore."

"They're not going to be happy," Jennifer said in a tone that told him she wasn't too happy either.

"This company is never going to survive without some legitimate representatives who aren't fugitives from something. Since this is your father's business, I consider it family business. And since Dumbledore himself stated that I should consider family matters first, I believe I will take him to his word."

"For some reason I don't think this is exactly what he had in mind when he said that, Severus," Jennifer said wryly, but knew from his expression that he wasn't about to be dissuaded from his decision. "Oh, very well. Since you can do without me."

"No baiting me in public," he chided her, glancing at the others at the table who were pretending to be engrossed with the site maps. "Not to mention in front of the children. What did you devise for their punishment?"

"No visiting, no visitors, no leaving the house without an adult and no art supplies until at least Christmas," Jennifer said, frowning at them sternly and getting cold gazes in return. "I'd take away their newspaper privileges as well to try and keep them out of trouble if I didn't know that Aurelius would probably keep them informed anyhow."

"Hm," Severus said thoughtfully, gazing at them as well.

"Perhaps if we'd been better informed we might not have even gone in the first place," Alex said daringly. Everyone stared at her dumbfounded. "After all, none of this would have come about if we'd known that you were actually conspiring with a wanted criminal!"

"So they were chasing me, were they?" Rinan Scur said with interest. "How far did they get?"

"Cairo licensing office," Moody grunted, "where they had the displeasure of crashing into none other than Foreman Napescar of the Lost Empire Excavation Company out of Heckletown."

"What? What the blazes are those leeches doing in Africa? Nothing down here that would further their cause," Rinan said with surprise.

"What cause?" Alex asked excitedly. "And where's Heckletown?" Aurelius kicked her in warning but she merely glared at him.

"They're radicals, Alexandria…a gang of anti-government goblins that are out to prove how modern history has shortchanged goblinkind. They hope that if they can prove how goblins had actually lived before the wizards interfered with them that it will convince others that the bank's ties to us wizards are doing nothing but corrupting the truth even more."

"But they are right, aren't they? I mean, what Mum learned under the Tor was proof positive of that," Alex said.

"Oh, yes, I would say that event brought this excavation company more support than it had seen in quite some time," Moody nodded. "But the fact that your parents were the ones that received credit for rescuing the goblins that had been imprisoned there along with the Fomorians infuriated them to no end because it helped stabilize relations between us. You can be assured that your brother is very lucky to be alive at this moment. I've heard more than once that Napescar despises all humans; wizards or otherwise, and being a Snape I'd think you would be even lower in his book than most. That we came out of there losing anything but my best invisibility cloak is a miracle."

"You lost your cloak?" Rinan blinked. "How did that come about?"

"Because it was on Andrew at the time they were caught," Moody said evenly. "Apparently Napescar had collided with him while he was walking out of the office, invisible." Jennifer and Severus turned to frown at Andrew, and he shrunk down in his seat.

"How did he get a hold of your cloak?" Rinan asked.

"I let him borrow it temporarily," Moody said dryly. Rinan stared at him in disbelief, wondering why on earth the Auror would have done something like that.

"I see," Severus said, nodding gently at Moody. "It would seem that we are indeed very much in your debt."

"So it would seem," Moody agreed amusedly.

"We'll get you a new one, Alastor, as soon as we can find another," Jennifer promised.

"Would you care to borrow mine in the meantime?" Severus offered reluctantly.

"I'm sure if I have any dirty work I'll ask Harry, thanks," Moody said with some amusement.

"Where is Harry, anyhow?" Alex asked. Everyone turned to look at her.

"I think that's more than enough questions from someone who will probably not see the light of day until well after the holiday," Severus said sternly. Grimacing slightly, Alex slid back into her seat, glancing over at Aurelius who was pointedly absorbed in his Defense book. "And I had better not hear of any of you leaving the school for any reason, or the next time I will handle the consequences myself. Oh, and Jennifer…" she leaned over so he could murmur something in her ear. Audi looked at them with bemusement before pretending to mind her own business.

"No, of course I won't forget," Jennifer promised him and then hesitated, glancing at the note he was inscribing. Finally he folded it and handed it to her. "Do you need anything else?"

"I should be fine for the moment. I'll send a note in my chest if I do need anything," he said evenly.

"Right, I suppose that's it then," Jennifer said awkwardly although her attitude was cheerful. "You'll be home by the first of Yule?"

"By Christmas for certain," Severus said, but seemed quite distracted by the legal paperwork that Rinan had handed to him.

"Oh. Well then, we'd best head back to the school, I suppose. Come along, you four, and straight to your dorms when you get back…and you had better not leave them," Jennifer said, coaxing them to their feet.

"I'll be checking the watch every half hour," Severus added, the dark spark in his eye telling them he was still quite unhappy with them.

"I don't see why I have to be treated like a criminal. I didn't go along with this crazy plan," Aurelius grumbled, falling in beside Alex as Jennifer got out the key.

"No, but you knew about it," Severus pointed out, "and you weren't in any hurry to tell us about it either."

"Good thing he did say something he did or we might have had one less Snape," Moody said, eyeing Andrew. But Andrew, Alex and Alicia were all glancing at the smug look on Aurelius' face ruefully, knowing that the last week and a half at school was going to seem quite long indeed.


	21. The Trip Home

Chapter Twenty-One

The Trip Home

If the week and a half seemed long for the three who were confined to their houserooms except for classes, detentions, and a set library time, it also didn't go so well for Aurelius.

It hadn't taken long after seeing the point drop for word to get around that the Snapes had snuck out of school, and a slip from Alex even hinted that they had been in Egypt hunting for Rinan Scur. Aurelius jumped into action then, pulling them aside just long enough to hush them from saying another word even among themselves until they got home, and somberly the others complied.

The slight but approving nod from Xavier when he had heard about it spoke volumes from the now reserved Head Boy, and the growing acceptance of Aurelius within the house did nothing but infuriate Eigil Hauk. Eigil's accusations of Aurelius 'ratting' on him to the old tinker had fallen upon Xavier's deaf ears from the moment Eigil first brought up the subject of the empty parcels, and Aurelius for his part decided that one statement of denial was enough and attempted to ignore him. Jocelyn had finally been the one to step in and warned them both to close the subject, and the two had been tight-lipped and avoiding each other from that point. But Eigil definitely saw no reason that the same two prefects that stood behind Aurelius' word would turn and praise Aurelius for saying something about his sibling's disappearance.

Before long there were murmurs running behind Aurelius' back among Eigil's circle of friends, and what started out as a discussion of this one incident bloomed into a discussion of his apparent disloyal acts on his family as a whole, and neither of his friends seemed to be in all that much of a hurry to defend him. In fact, Heph barely spoke to him at all, and Stock, ever present at his side, grew quiet whenever Aurelius brought up any mention of his siblings.

With a heavy heart Aurelius couldn't wait to get on the train, intentionally losing both Stock and Heph in the scuffle as he started through the cars. At last he came to the compartment where Andrew and Alicia were huddled close together talking softly.

"Conspiring another wild goose chase, are we?" Aurelius said, making them both jump then relax when they realized who it was. "Well, whatever it is can wait. We'll be home in a few hours, and without Father in the way, we may be able to come up with something."

"Well, there's a fine attitude change from you after what happened a week ago…" Alicia began hotly, but Andrew put a hand on her arm.

"Don't get mad at him about that. He didn't say anything to them until he thought we were in real trouble. Any of us would have done the same," Andrew protested.

"No, I didn't mean about that. I meant about not going with us in the first place!" Alicia said. "We could have used you, perhaps things wouldn't have gone sour at all. You were more concerned about school than about us!"

"There's no way I can make you understand," Aurelius said in a quiet somber tone. "You are important, but so is school, and things just don't work the same in Slytherin house as it does in the other houses."

"How do you know? You haven't been in the other houses," Andrew pointed out.

"Well I've heard enough from the three of you to know I'm right. I've got to keep my points up. I'm sorry, but my life will be hell if I don't."

"Is it because of Eigil? Is he putting on you hard?" Alicia asked with a frown.

"Now, don't you think I can take care of myself?" Aurelius said in annoyance. "No, this isn't about Eigil, it's more about me…let's just leave it at that. It's the holiday now, and for two and a half weeks I'd rather not think about school. Now would you be so kind as to fill me in on what I might have missed? And close the door."

"Well, we ought to wait for Alex. What the deuce is keeping her? The train's about to leave any minute," Andrew wondered and got up to look. "Think she's sitting with the prefects?"

"Not likely. Not the way she's been avoiding Xavier lately," Alicia said. "I do know she had a ton of extra work to turn in to Professor Singh today."

"As if anything is going to save her marks," Aurelius said disapprovingly, shaking his head.

"I'm here!" Alex announced bursting into view, gasping a bit as she slipped into her seat as the last whistle blew and the train began to roll. "And you can blame our mother if you like! She just would not let me get away without a full lecture about what not to do in London on the way home. Honestly! You'd think she'd forgotten that I actually worked in the city last year…"

"You worked next door," Aurelius sneered.

"Well, that doesn't mean I didn't go into Muggle London often enough…with or without permission," Alex said, clearing her throat as she sat down. Andrew shut the door and resumed his own spot while Alex rummaged around in her pockets. "Now, there's nothing at all to worry about. I have our tube connections and the station isn't all that far from home."

"But it's snowing! And Essie says to expect another three inches in that area today," Alicia frowned, glancing outside as the train began to pick up steam. "It's no walk in the park to get our trunks through that. Good thing we sent your familiars on early."

"Why can't we just stay with Mum until she leaves?" Andrew said.

"Because she's working late to finish up Father's paperwork as well as her own and plans to stop by and see Essie before heading home. Besides that, Father has the extra portkey. It's simpler for everyone if we just take the train and let her Apparate home when she's done," Alex explained. "Just think of it as another adventure!"

"Wonderful, an adventure on holiday crowded tubes surrounded by mind numbingly daft Muggles who care so much about what's in their own little world they don't even bother to live in it," Aurelius said.

"I know wizards who can have the same said about them," Alex said coolly. "You could probably give us quite a lesson in self absorption after last year…"

"Hold it! Hold it! Let's not go there!" Andrew said. "Don't forget, we're not supposed to talk about it."

"Rel wasn't supposed to rat on us either, but that didn't stop him. The Secret Keeper has become the Secret Fink," Alex snapped.

"All the secrets that have come out recently have been because of what the three of you have done!" Aurelius snapped back. "You can hardly blame that on me! As for Egypt, five minutes isn't two hours, so excuse me for caring! Next time you go get yourselves nearly killed, I'll be sure to butt out! At least then I'll get a room with a window."

"I'll show you a window…"

"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Andrew said, standing between them with his hands out.

"Please, Alex! Aurelius has offered to help!" Alicia added, pulling her down towards the seat.

"You've got to be kidding! After he's turned his back on us again and again? Why should we let him?"

"Because I have more brains than the three of you put together?" Aurelius said evenly. Alex tried to lunge again, Alicia holding her by the arm and Andrew still in front of him.

"Look, Aurelius is right about one thing, Alex. We all have different strengths, and Aurelius does know more than any of us about practical magic…"

"Bookwork, that's all it is! He's a bloody overachiever!" Alex blurted out. "Well, I'm the first born, that's my role, not yours!"

"It might be your role if you didn't spend all of your library time gossiping! If you shut your mouth as fast as you shut your books you might be head of your class by now!"

"I may not be head of my class, but I also wouldn't lie, cheat, or steal to get there either!" Alex said venomously.

Andrew knew he couldn't stop what was going to happen, jumping out of the way just as Aurelius launched himself at her, despite Alicia's pleas and shouting as the two of them began to scrap. Andrew had quite given up and had stood on one of the seats near the window to keep as far away from them as possible, but it wasn't long until a row of prefects appeared in the doorway with a conductor nearby.

Jocelyn and Rose pushed their way through and pulled them apart, Jocelyn shouting commands at Aurelius while Rose was busy pushing Alex back into a seat, looking at her hand which must have been stepped on at one point for it was rather red. Aurelius himself had bite marks on his arm and a bruised cheek when Jocelyn pulled him out the door, dispersing the other prefects with a wave of the hand. Only the dwarf conductor stayed, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Now is this anyway to act on a train? And being Snapes, no less! And you a Slytherin! You'd think you'd have at least waited until you got home. At least you had enough sense not to pull wands," Jocelyn said. "That'd have surely gotten you thrown off."

"I've half a mind to throw them off anyhow," the conductor said, scowling at them from behind his scruffy dwarf beard. "This is no place for a brawl, and even if it were, no gentle wizard fights with a witch like that no matter how much taller she is."

"What? Like you're the one to talk…"

"Rel, stop! Calm down!" Jocelyn ordered holding him firmly by the arms. "If it's all the same to you, I'd most prefer you didn't get thrown off! I'd feel a responsibility to go with you and it's mighty cold out there!"

"I second that," Rose agreed. "Come on you two, this really is no way to start a holiday! What on earth started this, anyhow?"

Alex and Aurelius glanced at each other and looked away.

"Nothing," they both murmured. Rose glanced at Alicia and Andrew who both shrugged noncommittally and resumed their seats. Rose let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, I think the heat is over at any rate. Jocelyn, why don't you go ahead back to our car, I'll stay here and make sure they stay civil," Rose said.

"Very well," Jocelyn said, letting Aurelius go so that he could take his seat again. "But if anything else happens I want to know about it, as I'm sure Xavier will as well," she warned, squinting at Aurelius before going back to her car.

"Andrew, why don't you and Alicia go sit with Halbert for a bit?" Rose suggested.

"His parents came and got him so he didn't have that long train ride," Andrew explained.

"Very well! Morfinn then."

"He got out of school a week early for religious reasons," Alicia said. Rose frowned deeply and Andrew got up, patting Alicia on the arm.

"Come on, let's go make sure Zack isn't bugging Juliet again," Andrew suggested.

"Out of one problem into another," Alicia said with exasperation. Andrew chuckled.

"Now," Rose said with satisfaction, looking between them. "I suppose you both need a good talking to, but I dare say you don't need to hear it from me. Good friends don't insist on butting into things they shouldn't have their noses in. I've learned that the hard way," Rose said dryly. "But I'm going to go now and leave you two to work this out yourselves, and for your own sakes I hope you do work it out or it's going to be a very long holiday for both of you. And do try to keep your hands to yourselves!"

After she left, Aurelius and Alex stared warily at each other for a long moment, waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally when the apology Aurelius was waiting for didn't come, he slid over next to the window and looked out of it, completely ignoring her. Letting out a loud dramatic sigh, Alex rummaged for her potion wallet and bathed her hand in balm, pondering whether or not to offer him some. Instead she brought out her copy of War and Peace and began reading it.

It wasn't until after they were at the station that the others found them again, noting the silence with grimaces although their greetings to each were pleasant enough as they headed to get their trunks.

"These aren't going to be such fun in the tubes," Andrew observed glumly as he popped the wheels down on his trunk.

"We'll just have to manage. If worse comes to worse we can cheat just a little with a sip of strength potion," Alex decided, glancing over their things. "But for now, let's try it. Come on, this way," she said, bringing out her black book. It was filled with all sorts of information on wizard stops and safe spots were they to get in trouble, but also in it she had written down the connections and times so they wouldn't have to wait.

As suspected, the tubes were full both from the evening crowds as well as a slew of shoppers clutching bags close to them. Some of them gave the four of them sympathetic looks as they went to load, while others scowled in annoyance as if anticipating the room all of that would take.

Despite their two siblings, Andrew and Alicia couldn't help enjoy the ride, whispering among themselves excitedly while Alicia gaped at the people getting on and off. They were so different; in size, shape clothing, and styles…many more styles, Alicia decided, than wizard kind had, and Alicia couldn't help but wonder why. Dark women in bright colored clothing sat next to men in suits…one in a turban…an old woman sat with a net upon her head, and a man with a cane who was standing was protesting loudly how inconsiderate the younger generations were these days. Of the Muggle children their age Alicia was slightly disappointed, for many of them wore school uniforms rather much like theirs without the robes over them. Others were dressed in warm grey or black or red coats, the collar of their shirts and jumpers underneath. But then she blinked as a group of older teenagers came in wearing black, their hair standing up as straight and as oddly colored as someone who was standing too close to the cauldron when it blew. Several silver rings hung from one of the teens black lips, and matching ones along the ear.

"And they think we dress strange," Andrew chuckled softly.

"Why does that one girl have an upside down pentacle on her arm?" Alicia whispered back.

"Hush, don't be rude," Alex hissed. "They don't know any better. See, even though it was highly revered as a religious symbol for the soul of mankind for thousands of years… including Christianity until the adoption of the cross… during last half of the twentieth century there was a small satanic movement which took that symbol for their own… sort of like the Third Reich's use of the swastika. And despite the fact they know about the mathematics of Pythagoras and all of that, Muggles think it's an evil symbol now."

"Crazy," Andrew chuckled.

"And that's just what these people are going to think of us if you all keep talking like this," Aurelius hissed at them. "Keep quiet!"

"So you have a tongue after all," Alex said coolly.

"If you had any sense you'd all be holding yours. When do we get off this thing?" Aurelius asked irritably.

"I can't tell you that if I'm holding my tongue, can I?" Alex challenged him, ignoring his glare. "Just a couple more stops, then we can head on up. Everyone got your things? I dare think if we accidentally leave something we'll hear about it."

"Let's just get out of here," Aurelius insisted in such a persistent manner that Andrew couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't a bit motion sick from all of the travel. With some shuffling and rather impolite shoving followed by hasty pardons, the four hopped off the train and up the ramp, glad to be back on the ground despite the fact that the air had turned bitterly cold. "At least the temperature drop finally stopped the snow," Aurelius grumbled as they worked their way out onto the street.

"Cheer up, it's not far. I expect Mercy will fill us up with hot spiced cider and eel stew soon enough," Alex grinned.

"Or maybe fish chowder or steaming custard," Andrew imagined. "Or, since Mum isn't home, she won't be there to complain about the cabbage smell for bubble'n'squeak with sausages."

"Gosh, I'm getting hungry all ready! Do let's get home!" Alicia said enthusiastically.

"Would you please be quiet for a moment?" Aurelius said with such frustration that the other three looked at him with surprise. He had stopped several paces behind, and there was a curious look on his face as he gazed across the street.

"What's wrong, Rel? You look positively spooked," Alex frowned.

"I think we're being followed," he said in a low voice, the others immediately glancing behind him. "No, you fools! Don't look behind me! Watch the reflection in the windows across the street. Start walking…talk quietly, but pay attention!"

Alex, now nervous, fell into silence, while it was Andrew that kept up the conversation, going into a step by step rendition of the best way to prepare his favorite meals, and Alicia, who was quite hungry from the trip, hoped very much that Aurelius was being paranoid again for she longed to be home. But it was not too long that she too noticed the shadow in the window from the corner of her eye…a tall lanky shadow, but definitely only one.

"We should try and take him," Alicia said, breaking up Andrew's discussion of pumpkin mousse. "No matter who it is if all four of us turn on him he can't take us all."

"Never say can't," Aurelius warned, but nodded all the same. "All right…on the next street turn left and hug the wall. Maybe we can catch him as he peers around."

"I can sneak up behind him if you like," Andrew suggested.

"No, the last thing we need is another of us exposed. Follow my lead," Aurelius said softly, walking casually around the corner and then right against the building, waiting for the others to do the same. He had a poor view of a window from here, but saw the shadow blot out the light from a streetlamp as he passed it. "Now!" Aurelius said, and the four of them charged with their wands out, stopping dead in their tracks when they saw the figure of Ederick Thurspire in front of them, casually standing there with his hands in his pockets acting not the least bit surprised.

"Now, what would have happened just now if I had turned out to be a Muggle?" Ederick asked.

"Then we would have looked like just a bunch of stupid kids with sticks in our hands," Aurelius retorted as they put their wands away. "What are you trying to do? Why are you following us?"

"I happened to overhear that the four of you were walking home and thought perhaps someone should keep an eye on things to make sure you weren't bothered. I'm surprised that your mother would be willing to take such chances," Thurspire clucked.

"I think I'm very well old enough to make sure my younger siblings get home safely, thank you," Alex snapped.

"Yes, I can see that point, but considering all that's going on…"

"There are still four of us…"

"Let me get this straight," Aurelius interrupted, Alex looking at him in complete annoyance. "You've been following us to make sure we're not followed?"

"In a manner of speaking," Thurspire said with a thin smile. "To be perfectly honest, when I heard your father was out of the country on business, I was a little concerned, what with Scur still being on the loose and all. On top of which, I also heard a disturbing report that your grandfather was sighted out of the country as well. Might you know anything about that?"

"Wait a minute Alex. He's not allowed to ask us questions without a guardian present," Aurelius said.

"Oh, that's all right, I wouldn't want to impose on any of your rights," Thurspire said. The other four looked at him dubiously. "But can I ask a question off the record?"

"All right, let's hear it," Aurelius sighed.

"Just where is your father at, and what business venture is he involved in that would be important enough to put his regular job on hold?" Thurspire asked.

"Off the record?" Aurelius asked evenly.

"Yes, of course," Thurspire said.

"Go to Hell, Thurspire," Aurelius said, picking up the handle on his trunk again.

"Aurelius, I'm not sure you're allowed to tell the Minister of Enforcement to go to Hell, even off the record," Alicia said nervously, wondering if they were about to get into royal trouble again.

"Oh very well, I take that back," Aurelius said congenially. "Thurspire, take your wand and stick it where you lick it. Come along, all."

"Yes, that was much better," Andrew said dryly as the others picked up their bags.

"I'm sorry, Thurspire, but our grandfather is waiting for us," Alex said quickly, expecting his face to turn that odd purple shade that it usually did when someone insulted him. "Don't worry, we can manage."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," said Thurspire in a slightly louder and firm tone, his eyes sparkling angrily. "As a matter of fact, I need to speak with your grandfather about that supposed sighting of him in Egypt. We don't want him in prison again, do we?" he said threateningly. "I think I'll just walk you the rest of the way. Shall we go?" Aurelius paused and turned then, gazing at him with a strange, calculating look for a long time. "Well? As you said, your grandfather's waiting."

"So he is," Aurelius said, the others looking at him puzzledly. "Thurspire, why don't you lead?"

"No thank you, I prefer to have the four of you where I can see you," Thurspire said, waving them to go ahead.

"I know, why don't you Apparate on ahead and we'll meet you there," Aurelius said.

"As I've already stated, I've no intention of letting you go alone."

"So I see," Aurelius said, "you're a true mason, you are. Come on, then," Aurelius said, continuing down the street. Alex was about to ask why Aurelius was going the wrong way, but Andrew caught her hand.

"I say, sis, do you need help with that?" Andrew said to explain his movements. "I can get it if you like, and then you can Apparate home and tell grandfather that we're on our way."

"Yes, that'll give us a chance to stop by the Cauldron, since it's on the way," Aurelius said.

"I'd prefer if you all stayed together, if you don't mind," Thurspire said. "I won't be having one of you kidnapped."

"Or all of us?" Aurelius asked, suddenly turning. "Or did you have another motive in mind, like finding out exactly where it is that we live, and more importantly, where our grandfather lives?"

"What are you talking about, Rel? Thurspire knows where we live," Alex said.

"Exactly. That man isn't Ederick Thurspire," Aurelius said, grabbing something out of his pocket.

"What a very odd accusation! Whatever have I done to make you think that?" The man asked sharply.

"If I told you that, you'd know what to correct. But I am not as gullible as you might think. Sorry to have to accuse and run. Plan B extension H now!" he shouted then dropped what looked like a handful of marbles that turned into a thick cloud of smoke. As the imposter choked back the cloud, he quickly took out his wand to disperse it, but the four Snapes were nowhere to be seen.


	22. Hearsay

Chapter Twenty-Two

Hearsay

"Why are we running?" Alex shouted from her broom as they sped into the night sky together. "Why don't we just stay and try to take him?"

"Snape's orders!" Aurelius shouted back. "I was told if we were stopped by someone we didn't know to find out what I can but get out of there as quickly as possible."

"Where's Andrew?" Alicia shouted to the others, glancing around.

"He'll catch up, don't worry. It's all part of the plan," Aurelius assured her.

"How come we're never told the details of any of these plans?" Alex demanded. "All I know is Plan B is take to our brooms and get out."

"So it is," Aurelius agreed, pushing forward as they neared their destination.

Passing a strangely uneven farmhouse the three of them made their descent upon a slightly smaller and much tidier house just beyond it. Several lights downstairs let them know someone was home. Aurelius paused and glanced around at the sky until he spotted a tiny speck that soon zoomed closer. Andrew landed close by, running up to them.

"Well? Did you find out who it was?" Aurelius asked.

"No, he hadn't changed back yet when I left, but he didn't Apparate right away so I followed him a bit. It looked like he was heading for Diagon Alley," Andrew said.

"I wonder if he bought it then," Aurelius murmured.

"Honestly, Rel, I don't think so," Andrew said. "If he knows anything about Muggle London at all, he'd know we would have headed towards Merchantile, which is a lot closer to the Alley. And besides that, he didn't seem to be looking around at any of the buildings as he passed them. I'd think if he were actively searching for the house he'd be doing just that."

"Then why walk?" Aurelius pondered.

"Perhaps to give time for the potion to wear off before he got to wherever it was that he was really going?" Alex suggested. Aurelius looked at her thoughtfully.

"For a change, you've got a point," Aurelius admitted. "Come on, let's go see who's home." But as they stepped up to the door, Alex held Aurelius' sleeve, letting the other two ring the doorbell. Andrew and Alicia giggled at the sour notes that sprang from it.

"Rel, about the train…sorry I jumped you like that. I guess my mouth ran away from me again," Alex said quietly. "I know you're not against us anymore. It was unfair of me."

"You're right," Aurelius said stiffly, but nodded all the same. "Apology accepted, provided we're planning on working together now."

"Of course," Alex agreed, and the two of them walked up just as the door began to open. But even though things seemed all right again, Aurelius couldn't help but feel a pit in his stomach as he thought of her words; _I know you're not against us anymore_. He glanced up just as Ginny opened the door, looking at them with surprise.

"Goodness! What are you doing here? You look so cold! Come in, come in all of you, take off your coats and sit by the fire before you catch Newt Pneumonia!" Ginny insisted, ushering them in and peeling their coats off as they passed her. "What happened?"

"We were on our way home when we were followed by someone impersonating Minister Thurspire," Aurelius explained quickly despite her coaxing him to take a mug of hot tea from a tray. "We had to leave our trunks where we were stopped at about three blocks away from the station…"

"Don't you worry about that. I'll see that someone finds them," Ginny assured them. "You just wait here by the fire and I'll send word to Harry and to your Mum to let her know that you're safe."

"She's probably at Essie's by now," Alex put in.

"If that's so she might already know something," Ginny said enigmatically. "I'll send her a spark anyhow. No, don't get up. I'll use the kitchen hearth. You just warm yourselves and try to relax," she insisted, immediately heading to the kitchen.

When she returned she had another tray filled with hearty Henpecked Soup with dumplings, and soon they were settled around the table with Cedric and Jamie, who had immediately begun pelting them with questions about Hogwarts. The other three smirked as Aurelius exaggerated about just how much homework there was to do, making out every teacher as if they were Snape on his worst day. Ginny, passing through to set down another piping teakettle on the warmer chuckled at both Aurelius and the wide eyes of her children.

"Mum, can we stay at Stoddard? Forever?" Cedric asked.

"Now, I think you've heard enough of your father's stories to know that something doesn't add up," Ginny said with a wink but politely withholding from any accusations of fibbing.

"Except for Snape," Jamie added. "I bet he's just as mean as everyone says he is."

"Jamie Potter! Show some respect, you know he's their father!" Ginny said in horror.

"But Mum! Even you've told us about…"

"Jamie, why don't the two of you head up and straighten your rooms now," Ginny said as her face reddened, picking up their plates. Alex, Andrew, and Aurelius grinned at each other knowingly, while Alicia gazed down in her soup somberly. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, it's all right. We're quite used to it," Alex chuckled. "This is wonderful, Ginny! It reminds me of all those winters we spent at your Mum's house!"

"I'm not surprised! It's her recipe," Ginny laughed.

"Your house is much nicer, though," Aurelius commented, and immediately got a jab from both sides by Alex and Andrew.

"It's all right, guys. Fair is fair, we did comment on your father," Ginny chuckled. "You know, you should go visit them over the holiday. I'm sure they would love to see how the four of you are getting along." She paused then to listen as she heard footsteps on the stairs that were two heavy to be the children and stepped into the hall just in time to be greeted with a warm hug. "There you are, Harry! I hope I didn't disturb anything important!"

"Not as important as this," Harry assured her and went into the dining room. "Hullo! Taking advantage of the situation by sampling Ginny's cooking, I see."

"We couldn't help ourselves," Andrew grinned.

"Well, let me get a bite too then we'll go into the living room and talk. And maybe put a few logs on the fire! It's freezing in here!"

"I'm sure it would seem to be cold if you're not acclimatized to the weather here," Aurelius ventured, sipping on his drink. Harry looked at him thoughtfully a moment before a smile crept across his face.

"What a very Snape observation of you to make," he said amusement. "Yes, I've been busy doing some investigating in warmer climates, I admit it, although I'm happy to say my focus will be turning up here for awhile." Ginny came back in again, smiling at Harry before turning to the children.

"If you're done, you can go back to the living room if you like. I got a hold of your mother, and she is going to track down your trunks and get them home. She also," Ginny added a bit more reluctantly, looking at Harry, "is going to stop by the Ministry to find out for certain if Thurspire was being impersonated and let them know to be on the lookout. I imagine they'll be sending someone."

"I imagine they'll be sending Thurspire," Harry said sounding no more thrilled than Ginny. "In that case, I'll finish dinner later. I want to get as many facts from these four as possible before Thurspire starts spouting implausible theories that gets us all off on the wrong track." Aurelius sniggered softly as the four of them got up, following Harry in by the fire once more and waiting for him to get seated before situating themselves around him. "So, how did you know he was a phony?"

The others glanced at Aurelius.

"I first began to suspect something wasn't right when we first met up with him," Aurelius said. "See, I had noticed someone shadowing us, and so we decided to try and corner him. That's when we discovered this person who looked like Thurspire tailing us. He stated from the beginning that he was doing so to keep an eye on us. He said he had overheard that we were walking home ourselves and wanted to make sure we got back all right. But how would he know that? Mum only decided this morning that she wasn't going to get her work done on time, and for some reason I highly doubt she would have discussed her change of plans to just anyone, and most definitely not Ederick Thurspire."

"Good point," Harry agreed. "Go on."

"Besides that," Aurelius hesitated momentarily, "he knew something else. He knew that Grandfather had been out of the country, and he also somehow knew that we knew."

"Your grandfather's been out of the country?" Harry repeated, his voice reflecting his surprise although his expression was grim.

"If Thurspire had actually thought that for a second, he'd have turned him over to Azkaban by now."

"Yes, I think you're right," Harry said. "And just how do the four of you know about him being there? Did you see him?"

"No," Alex said. "We found out about it when we were trying to get information on Rinan Scur at the Cairo licensing office. The wizard clerk there mentioned that he'd been there, although I didn't find out why."

"I think I know why," Andrew spoke up. "He was there trying to find information on one of his old colleagues, Doctor Naresh, who went missing on a bank expedition. There were some files pulled out when I snuck in the back and that was one of them."

"Why didn't you mention that before?" Alex asked in annoyance.

"Well the first time we were all together was on the train, and you know what happened there," Andrew said. Alex grew quiet.

"If you didn't see him, how are you so sure that whoever the clerk saw wasn't an imposter as well?" Harry asked.

"Well, considering what just happened, I suppose we can't be all that sure," Aurelius agreed.

"After all, whoever that was did manage to get close enough to Thurspire to get a sample."

"That doesn't take cleverness. Just will power," Aurelius said dryly.

"Perhaps we should keep the fact that your grandfather was even suspected of being out of the country to ourselves," Harry advised, leaning back in the chair. "Anything else?"

"A motive, at least a working one," Aurelius said. "From his behavior, I think he was attempting to get us to lead him to our house. That was really the last straw for me as far as knowing it wasn't Thurspire…well, that and he never threatened once to take us to the Ministry if we didn't obey him…even after I insulted him."

"Yes, that sounds very unThurspirelike," Harry agreed. "You say he was trying to trick you into leading him home?"

"Yes. I bet he was trying to get to Grandfather," Aurelius said darkly. "And I don't think just for a chat, either."

"It does look that way," Harry mused. "What did you do when you found out it was a phony?"

"I led him down a street in the wrong direction for awhile, but then realized I wouldn't be able to do that for long without him getting suspicious," Aurelius sighed. "So I gave the others the signal to retreat."

"I still think we should have taken him, especially if he's after grandfather," Alex said in annoyance.

"No, you had no way of knowing who or what you were dealing with," Harry said. "Coming here was the smart thing to do. But can you remember anything else? Anything that might give us clue to who it was?"

"Only that he wandered towards the Leaky Cauldron after we left," Andrew said.

"That's not really much help…not unless someone there saw through his disguise like you did… assuming he made it all the way there in disguise," Harry murmured to himself. "Well, thank you for being up front with me. And don't worry about Thurspire. I'll fill him in to the parts he needs to know about. You just relax and wait for your parents to arrive."

"But won't he want to interview us?" Alex asked nervously. She had been dreading the idea since they had gotten there.

"No point. A licensed Auror already did," Harry reassured her with a smile. "Feel free to tell the whole story to your mother. I'll be writing to your father about it soon enough. I've a feeling he's going to want to look into this business of your grandfather being abroad. But not a word to anyone else, got it?"

"I will make certain of it," Aurelius said seriously, and Harry nodded to each of them.

"You did a good job, guys. Just keep on your toes. I have a feeling this isn't going to be the last time we find an imposter in our midst."

Fortunately for all of them, Jennifer was a bit quicker than Thurspire was, and in no time the four of them were back at home. Thomas was going through their trunks to make sure nothing was amiss but stood to greet them as they came in. Andrew and Alicia rushed to their rooms, while Aurelius and Alex peered curiously in their trunks to make sure nothing was missing.

"Well? Was Thurspire a fake?"

"It sounds that way, Dad." Jennifer said with a sigh, glancing at Alex and Aurelius. "From now on, no inviting anyone home no matter who it is unless they already know the way," Jennifer said.

"Does that include Rose?" Alex asked worriedly. "I thought you said I could ask her over after Christmas!"

"Well, that we can overlook. Besides, I dare think her grandfather knows where we live," Jennifer reassured her.

"Mum! Someone stole all my paintings!" Alicia called from the top of the stairs in a panic. "There aren't any in Andrews room or the halls either."

"You won't find any anywhere at the moment," Jennifer told her. "Your father thought I'd better take them down until you can learn how to act responsibly around them, and I agree with him. We can't trust you, and they're not going back up until you prove that we can, and that includes getting back your art supplies."

"But what about my lessons with Mr. Pyther?" Alicia panicked.

"You can still have those since they're supervised, Alicia. But one more screw-up, no matter how small, and those are going too," Jennifer said.

"So much for encouraging their talents," Thomas said in a low voice, but Jennifer caught it anyhow.

"A child may have a strong gift with fire, Father, but that doesn't mean you let them burn the house down," Jennifer said. "Responsibility comes with all types of magic, and those four are old enough to start showing some."

"But I didn't do anything!" Aurelius protested. Jennifer, already on her way towards the kitchen, pretended not to hear him.

"Don't worry, we know you didn't, Aurelius. Your mother is just a bit high strung. Don't know where she gets that from," Thomas grunted. "I hear you're at the top of every class, not that I'd expect any less."

"And Slytherin is at the top of the points again as well," Aurelius added. Alex glared at him and slammed the lid of her trunk down, stomping towards the basement. "She's still mad because I didn't get in trouble with them."

"Well…supporting family and humoring family are definitely two different things," Thomas said in a low voice. "So, what exactly happened out there tonight?"

"Aurelius," Jennifer called, walking back in from the kitchen with a huge plate of bones and chopped steak. "Would you take those trunks upstairs, please?"

"I think the Elves are more than capable of handling that," Thomas said irritably.

"I'm sure they are, but I asked Aurelius to do it," Jennifer said firmly, opening the basement door. "Alex! Come get Descartes' dinner!"

"Descartes says he doesn't like being cooped up and wants to know where Father is," Alex said when she approached the top of the stairs. "And Rasputin wants a mouse, but there is no way I'm going to do that! It's absolute murder! You should hear how they plead…"

"Feed the familiars, don't converse with them. Oh, just give Rasputin kibble, I'll get his treat later," Jennifer said, shoving the tray in her hand and then waited for two of them to go about their chores. "Father, can I talk to you a moment? In the study."

"If that's the only way I'm going to learn anything," Thomas said, less than congenial as he followed her up the back stairs. "I see you are displaying some healthy Craw hostility today."

"Don't start," Jennifer said, closing the door behind them and lighting the fireplace with a flick of her wand. "I suppose you're interested on what Thurspire's imposter wanted with the children."

"I am their grandfather, after all, I do have some rights," Thomas said defensively.

"And you've also been known to bend them," Jennifer said firmly back. "It seems that he was trying to find out where we lived, and I would gather considering everything going on that he was probably trying to get to you."

"Perhaps they should have let him then," Thomas mused. "I might have actually been able to have a little fun…"

"He also seemed to think that you were in Egypt…recently, and on your own. Apparently the children themselves heard that you might have been in the licensing office."

"Well, considering that came from an imposter, he could have staged me being seen there himself," Thomas reasoned, but he knew from the expression on Jennifer's face that she had already seen the truth in his face. "No one has to know about this, Jennifer."

"What? Didn't you hear me, others have already heard it!"

"And it's their word against mine, because I assure you they'll find no proof of it! And before you ask, Audi and Alastor knew nothing about it."

"It doesn't matter if they knew about it! They're going out on a limb for you! You and that motley crew of yours… you could go back to Azkaban just by talking to them…"

"They are under Audi and Alastor's direct custody, Jennifer. If anything they're more liable…"

"All the more reason for you to be more respectful to what they're doing on your behalf!" Jennifer snapped. "Why on Earth would you do this to them?"

"It had nothing to do with them!" Thomas snarled back. "It had nothing to do with any of them! It was of a personal matter."

"Malfoy?"

"Why is it that every time I say something is personal everyone automatically assumes it's about Malfoy?" Thomas said with exasperation.

"Probably because it normally is," Jennifer said challengingly. Thomas sighed.

"Not this time," he said, turning to walk over to the fireplace, refusing to look at her anymore. "It won't happen again, Jennifer."

"For your friends and family's sake, I hope you mean that," Jennifer said. "This foolish dream of yours might have sucked Severus into it, but I refuse to be taken in."

"Good, because you weren't invited," Thomas said. "So do me a favor and go do your do good bit somewhere else."

"Fine, I'm tired of cleaning up after your messes," Jennifer said, Thomas turning around in surprise. "If you want to go back to prison or seek your death, go right ahead. I've spent my entire life trying to survive your mistakes. It took our home, it killed my mother, and it nearly got me. So if you think I'm willing to risk what life I've had to rebuild from scratch despite your attempts to destroy it, you're dead wrong. I will turn you in myself before it comes to that," she said venomously, storming out the door. Thomas slumped down in the chair, still staring at the fire, and didn't move for a very long time.


	23. The Christmas Tryst

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Christmas Tryst

With their Mum and Grandfather not speaking and their father gone, the children found the first of Yule a rather grim undertaking, finding themselves going through the motions of the holiday without much cheer. By default Aurelius got to pick the log since he was the only one allowed out of the house, and even got to light it. But there was one event that seemed to cheer both Jennifer and Alex up. Corey, Essie, and Doug arrived a couple of hours after sunset, Corey with a fresh basket of mistletoe and the couple with a bright basket of apples, oranges, and dark wheat bread. Essie refused to be fussed over despite the fact that she had finally begun to wear maternity robes, insisting on helping in the kitchen. Doug and Corey soon followed after greeting the four glum bodies sitting in the living room. They were staring at their grandfather, who was hushing anyone who came anywhere near where he was sitting watching the television.

From the first morning after the four had gotten home, they began to see a strange pattern in their grandfather's behavior that occurred every day between three and five in the afternoon and seven to nine every Tuesday and Friday night. He had, it had turned out, made a reluctant friend out of the contraption while spending so much time alone in the house, and nothing short of a complete disaster or fire would turn his eyes away from it when his programming was on.

Of course, during the evening shows he spent a lot of time laughing out loud in all the wrong places as he watched the Muggles struggle without the benefit of magic. Police and emergency room dramas were soon turned into comedies, and the Muggle news was something best left to be ignored.

One program in the afternoon Alex caught him watching had to do with a wealthy family in a nice big mansion, but it appeared that everything that could go wrong with a family did, from political intrigues to cheating wives to rebellious teens, and every disease known to man was inflicted upon them and somehow was miraculously cured from week to week. Alex had tried to explain to him that they weren't real Muggles but he merely shushed her, and reluctantly she gave up trying to interfere. At least, she thought to herself, he was getting some exposure to them, even if he did believe they were all self centered lying brutes who married for money, had evil twins and had affairs with their nannies.

Besides, Alex had something more important on her mind that night. She ran up to her room to go over the note she had written one more time before stuffing it into a holiday card and then into an envelope. Finally she took it down into the kitchen where Corey was sitting over a plate of half full springerle while nibbling on one, looking at it thoughtfully.

"Doesn't seem right that the plate isn't all crumbs by now," Corey said at last. "When is he going to be back again?"

"Before Christmas for certain," Jennifer said, looking for something to clean to keep herself occupied. "They had some research they had to finish up in Israel."

"Bad time of year to be there," Corey commented.

"Now you know he can take care of himself. Anyone need more to drink?" Jennifer asked.

"We're all right, Aunt Jennifer, but I do think you ought to sit down," Essie said.

"Look on the bright side, at least we don't have to hear another violin concert this year," Doug joked.

"He is getting better," Jennifer insisted. The others laughed.

"You always say that," Corey got out between laughs, then noticed Alex. "What do you have there? Ransom note for your siblings?"

"No, actually, it's your Christmas present," Alex grinned at him, handing him the envelope.

"Hm," Corey said thoughtfully, shaking it. "Whatever it is, it's very flat. Thank God it's too thin to be a book!"

"Don't look at me, she hasn't told me what it is," Jennifer said, looking every bit as curious. "I hope it's not just a card."

"Oh no, not just," Alex assured her with a grin. "But I want you to promise me you'll open it early."

"Early? You mean now?" Corey said, but Alex stopped his hand.

"No no. Six o'clock Christmas Eve. At home. And don't make any plans," Alex advised.

"Well, that's mysterious enough," Corey chuckled.

"Alexandria Selezin', what are you up to?" Jennifer squinted at her.

"Nothing lethal," Alex assured her. "Promise you'll open it then?"

"All right, Alex," Corey said, accepting the girl's hug while turning it over in his hand thoughtfully.

* * *

Christmas at the Bailey House was never anything short of pure bedlam, for Rose's great grandfather Glen Witolf had tons of relatives, none of which would pass up a Christmas without seeing them. But Christmas Eve was different, and in many ways Rose enjoyed it more than the actual day. It was always just the immediate family of Glen and his favorite granddaughters, Ashley and Rose. Candles of white and red lay in groups in every corner and on the tree, each one lit by the old man himself.

But Rose's favorite part was when he lit the dozens of candles attached to bright brass and tin carousels of Christmas charms, and as they ate a quiet humble dinner of stew and meat rolls, tiny bells upon the carousels would ring, reminding Rose of the sound of fairies.

Afterwards, they always sat by the fire in the front room, roasting chestnuts or dough wrapped pieces of fruit and either listened to stories from Glen or Ashley, who would read them out of a book of Glen's favorite book of Yule and Christmas legends. As it happened, that year Glen had developed something of a chill, not enough, he had told them, to warrant the energy of making a potion for, but enough to make him want to prop his feet up in front of the fire and coddle a hot spiced brandy. So it was that Ashley had brought down the old book and had began the story of Frau Holla when she became aware of an owl with a bright red envelope sitting in the window.

Curiously they paused as Rose went to fetch it, smiling almost apologetically when she saw it was for her, petting Dodger on the head before opening it.

"It's from Alex," Rose explained with a sigh. "She says she has a present for me, but it has to be delivered in person and right away."

"Right away? But it's well after dark," Ashley frowned.

"Now, Ashley, there's no bugaboo out there that'd scare our Rose, and certainly not on Christmas Eve. Would you have her wait until the morrow amidst the insanity of our family reunion? Let the young woman go out. I'm sure our way of doing things must seem overly quiet to her."

"Oh, not at all, grandfather! I love Christmas Eve here!" Rose protested fervently, but glanced at the note again. A strange list of instructions followed on where to meet her.

"Well, then you'd best be off so you can come back and enjoy it then," Ashley said with resignation, and Rose hugged them and kissed their cheeks then hurried towards the door. "At least bundle up first!" Ashley protested. Blushing, Rose turned around to get her coat.

"I would have remembered once I stepped out the door," Rose muttered before leaving. Ashley couldn't help to chuckle softly at that, attempting to find her place again. Rose realized right away that she was going to need her broom on this venture, for many of the hints were in London, she realized.

_In the town where the circus never ends, with the clock chiming to lost boys and lost friends, follow the right toe of the bridge that sings to find the place the Bard still tells the fates of kings. All life is a stage, and at the tenth hour, we'll find out once and for all if the name makes the flower._

"Why does she always have to be so melodramatic?" Rose exclaimed to herself, glancing at the time. Well, there was no point in her flying all the way from Wales to London in this weather. Immediately she Apparated to Diagon Alley, where just a few harried shoppers were finishing their rounds and testy shop owners attempted to shoo them out of their shops.

"Now, east of the clock is simple enough. But which is the bridge that sings?" Rose murmured in annoyance as she thought of all the bridges across the Thames. She took to her broom then, careful to fly high enough not be seen as she headed out, positioning herself to head towards Westminster, studying the river lines which went north and south. But from her height, she could see it bend to the east to the north and followed it, and realization hit home as she passed Southwark Bridge and came upon London Bridge. "Of course! I suppose she thought that'd be rather funny," Rose said, slightly exasperated with her friend. Follow the right toe?" Rose frowned. Thoughtfully she positioned herself straight north, as if she were looking on a map. "If north is the 'head' of the bridge, I suppose south would be the feet. So if I'm following the right toe, I'd be going southwest? But I just came from there," she murmured.

At last she decided to land, figuring that this direction was probably meant to be more specific, and that she was close. Finding a quiet place to land on a path that lead along the Thames, Rose noticed a peculiar shape off in the distance. Seeing it was in the right direction, she curiously walked over to it until at last she could see what it was.

"Of course, I should have known it all along!" She said out loud. "It's the Globe Theatre! But it's closed! Surely this is the right place, though," she decided, glancing over her letter again, moving to try to get it in better light. It was then she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye and quickly put her broom away, stepping out of the light as another figure on a broom came down. She recognized him at once, from the floppy hat to the out-of-date clothing, and immediately swore to herself to commit murder upon her former best friend.

"So, here it is, but what am I doing here?" the figure said in much the same tone that Rose had been doing herself.

"I think I might be able to explain that," Rose admitted reluctantly, stepping forward. He turned then, staring at her in surprise.

"Rose!" Athos said, and then caught himself. "This is to say, that is your name, is it not?"

"I believe I may owe you an apology," Rose said. "I believe a friend of mine brought you here on false pretences…"

"No please, don't feel you have to apologize," Athos said, quickly walking over to her. "I've been wanting to see you since I got your letter."

"You have?" Rose said nervously.

"Well, yes, but I didn't think it was…well, I suppose that doesn't matter now that we're here, does it? Perhaps we'd best take a walk…unless you'd think it too cold?"

"No, not at all, I'm not cold," Rose said. "But won't the Muggles say something? I mean…"

"Oh, the costume. Well, if we stay close to here maybe they'll buy I'm an actor, yes?" Athos winked, offering her an arm. Slowly she took it, feeling quite strange walking along the snowcapped path with him beside her so casually.

In the dim light it very much reminded her of a dream; one that she might have begun to wake up from only to force herself back to sleep to continue it. Perhaps it really was just a dream, she thought to herself with a grin, but out her thoughts she realized that things had settled to an uncomfortable silence.

"Well, you are in a way, aren't you?" Rose said at last.

"Are what?" Athos asked.

"An actor," Rose reminded him.

"Oh, yes, of course. Not a very good one, I'm afraid. My French accent is unbearably fake," he chuckled.

"So why do you do this? Become Athos, I mean?"

"Well, when we were young, three of us had a friend we were very fond of that was in danger. No one would listen to us about it, and those that did didn't feel they could do anything, so we took matters into our own hands. And since then the four of us have come to help out whenever we can. I guess it turned into a habit," Athos chuckled.

"So the person you helped ended up being a Musketeer too?"

"D'Artagnan, our leader," Athos smiled. "Rather like in the story, I suppose. In some ways he is the best of us because of what he's been through."

"So you took up these disguises because of something that happened when you were young? When you were still in school?" Rose asked carefully.

"In spite of the risk you might narrow down the year, yes," Athos said with amusement.

"But if the Minister has pardoned you for any past actions outside of the Ministry's knowledge, then why are you still in disguise?"

"I'm not sure I am at liberty to truly answer that," Athos said quietly. "It's really not my secret to tell. I suppose I can only say that sometimes family and one's beliefs don't mix, so balancing them can be a bit tricky."

"So, you have a family then?"

"Yes…no! I mean, well, everyone has a family, mademoiselle. In fact, in some ways mine inspired me to take up this calling. But if you mean do I have a family of my own, no, although I'm not entirely disinterested in the idea," Athos added.

"The lighting over the river is rather pretty isn't it?" Rose said quickly, pretending not to have heard him. But Athos had stopped and was gazing at her quite steadily.

"What is it about me, Rose? What is it that interests you?" Athos asked bluntly.

"What? What makes you think I'm interested?" she asked defensively.

"Well, you agreed to walk with me, did you not?"

"Well, it would have been impolite not to accept after all the trouble my friend went to to get us here."

"And yet there must have been some reason she would have been compelled to do so," Athos reasoned, futilely trying to get her to look at him. "It cannot possibly be my looks. Is it because of the mystery? Hero worship? Or the dagger I took and the scar that still lies red upon my shoulder?"

"You still have the scar?" Rose said with interest in spite of herself.

"Yes, but it is nothing to fuss over. I carry scars within much deeper," Athos admitted with a sigh. "Rose, I don't want you to feel indebted to me for that, or be interested in me because of this feeble disguise."

"If it were just that, wouldn't I be in love with all four of you?" Rose said, and he tapped his shoulder to indicate the scar on his back. "Very well, perhaps that does have something to do with it, but not in the way you think. I don't care about you out of guilt or pity or even because you saved me, even though I couldn't be more grateful. It was always because of the kindness and selflessness you have shown, to others as well as myself, and admittedly the strength and bravery you showed that day, risking everything to make sure you completed your task. Those are qualities that exist in you in or outside of the mask, and those are the ones that matter to me."

Athos found himself dangerously close to her, staring down into her eyes and admiring the way the light hit her narrow slightly-upturned nose.

"So, what is it that you see in me?" Rose asked quietly, instantly regretting it, for Athos quickly stepped back, glancing around uncomfortably as if afraid someone was watching.

"The hour is getting late. Perhaps I should see you home."

"I'm sorry. I suppose it was silly for me to think you were interested," Rose said, angry with herself. Athos grabbed her hand then, stopping her from turning away.

"I don't want you to think for an instant that I'm not interested," Athos said. "It's only… it's only that I want to make sure the person behind the mask is truly someone you would want. Having a relationship with someone in my position…would get a bit complicated," he explained, hoping she could see the sincerity in his eyes.

Rose gazed back at him for a long time without a word until finally she used her other hand to pull his head toward her, giving him a long, passionate kiss. A sudden pop made the otherwise stunned Athos jump back as Rose Disapparated, his hand and lips still warm with her touch.

"All right, now it's going to get extremely complicated," Athos said to himself. Glancing at the time and realizing he would be soon late for church, Athos popped back to change and came not to recall anything else that happened that evening.

* * *

All was still in the Snape house when the clock on the mantle let out a single chime announcing it was a quarter until midnight. Jennifer sat alone on the couch, the only one awake in the house, with the only light coming from the Christmas tree. She had laid out everything herself, each parcel in its own little group by name, except for a rather large pile near the chimney. At midnight, that pile would quickly disappear as the Elves whisked them away and another one would appear in its place. She sighed softly, wondering if she just shouldn't take a Subtle Slumber to try and get some sleep.

"Is this a private vigil, or might I join you?"

Jennifer jumped up in pure surprise, very glad she had put her tea on the side table a moment before as she turned to see Severus casually leaning on the back of the couch as if he had been there for some time.

"How I hate it when you do that! And how you love it!" she accused him.

"Nagging me already, are you?" he said expressionlessly.

"I'm too glad to see you to be angry. I was beginning to worry," Jennifer admitted. "Nor did I think you were going to take being back 'by Christmas' quite so literally. Then again, don't you always?"

"Now, don't start testing me already. I was actually back in the country a couple of hours ago. I had to drop by and talk to Harry, much to Ginny's dismay. But with that done, I'm all for putting business on hold for the day, and I don't know about you but I for one am looking forward to a good night's sleep as well."

"Uncomfortable cot?" Jennifer asked, rubbing his arm.

"No, the lack of a cold pair of feet against me, actually," Severus admitted. Jennifer chuckled, picking up his arm and putting it around her so that she could lean against him.

"I know exactly what you mean. The room was so terribly quiet without you there. In fact so much I gave up and let Ratfly and Dodger sleep in our room at night."

"Oh, no, now we'll never get them out of it," Severus groaned.

"Well if it's any consolation, it didn't make up for the lack of snoring," Jennifer teased.

"Yes, that's some consolation," Severus said dryly, glancing at the clock then relaxing again. "To be honest, I found myself thinking back on those nights when I wondered if you were truly lost to me. I spent quite a bit of time glancing at my ring and my watch in the middle of the night to reassure myself you were safely at the school, or home fighting with your father again."

"Now don't start, he gives me plenty of reasons," Jennifer said defensively. "At least you still have a watch. I've had to go without for two years now."

"So you have," Severus said, glancing at the clock before shrugging, the shrug making her sit up as he rummaged in his pocket. "Fancy you bringing it up just now."

"You brought it up, actually," Jennifer pointed out.

"Well, it hardly matters. What matters is that you don't get as paranoid as I am because you don't have one any more," he said, pulling out a velvet black box and handing it to her.

"Oh, Severus," Jennifer said, gazing that the replacement watch with all the family hands attached. It was actually more detailed than her first watch; many other places were added that hadn't been on the original, such as three different broom parks the children hung out at as well as Keki's Grove. She leaned back into him again and this time he held her against him warmly. "You shouldn't have let me open it now. It's not even Christmas yet."

"All of five minutes. It's been Christmas for three hours where I came from. But feel free to think of it as a sort of pre-Christmas present. I have more."

"More than one?" Jennifer said curiously.

"Well, I had a lot of time to think of things I wanted to give you, but I couldn't decide on what to narrow it down to. And then I ran out of time to think, so I got them all," he said. Jennifer shook her head at him with exasperation.

"All I've wanted for Christmas since you left was to have you back again," Jennifer told him with a gentle kiss.

"And that is all I have wanted as well. That and one of these," he added reaching over to the tray for a square of springerle, Jennifer chuckled at him, letting him enjoy his biscuit before snuffing out the candles just as the clock chimed the hour.


	24. The Questing Instinct

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Questing Instinct

"Wake up! Wake up!"

Alex, who had discovered she was the first one awake that morning as the light had just begun to peek over the rooftops of the city, threw on her night robe and ran across the hall to wake up Andrew, then Alicia, then at last Aurelius.

"Wake up already! Come on, don't you know what day it is?" Alex declared as Aurelius peeked out from under his blankets.

"Aren't you getting a little old to be getting this excited about Christmas?" Aurelius declared grumpily.

"No, and neither are you! So get up!" Alex ordered as she went back to make sure the others were moving. Aurelius covered up his head with the blanket. A moment later all three of them were at the door, and sensing eyes on him, Aurelius pulled down enough of the blanket with his hand to see the three of them standing in the doorway.

"Just another hour, please? Then I'll be as excited as you like," Aurelius protested. The other three looked at each other then pounced, Alex pulling back his covers while Alicia tickled him mercilessly and Andrew threw his robe at him. Aurelius began kicking and tickling in return, causing so much noise that soon Thomas was in the doorway.

"Is this normal Christmas behavior around here?" he grumped in annoyance, making his voice heard and even felt above the four wrestling children. As the four of them jumped up at the sound of his voice, the boards under the bed slid out of place and they went crashing to the floor.

"Pretty normal, yep," Aurelius said somberly.

"Happy Christmas!" Alex said cheerfully, managing to get herself over the side and over to Thomas, giving her grandfather a big hug. Grudgingly, he patted her back, and then took a step away from her.

"Well, that sound was enough to wake the dead. It might have even woken your parents," he grunted.

"Father's home?" Alex asked excitedly.

"Yes, I believe I heard him come in late last night. Suppose I won't be eating breakfast in my room this morning then. Damned inconvenient holiday."

"I bet Mercy's already laid out breakfast on the table," Andrew said, brightening noticeably. "Come on! Last one downstairs has to sit by father!" Alicia immediately bolted out of the room, the other three following right behind her.

"Seems I'll be getting the 'choice' seat again," Thomas mused, following more slowly behind.

Alex had stopped to linger in the living room, wandering near her pile to survey the boxes, itching to pick up the one that looked like it was the right size and shape to be a wand box. Andrew and Alicia were busy inspecting the tops of their stockings, while Aurelius scowled at them from the door of the dining room.

"Hello? What about breakfast?" he asked impatiently.

"We're just looking!" Alex protested.

"Enough looking, I smell kippers," Thomas said, glancing at all the steaming silver bowls on the table. Alicia and Andrew grimaced in sheer disgust. "Where is that Jen-girl? Surely they didn't miss those antics upstairs."

As the others finally got seated, Jennifer came out with a look of someone sleepwalking with a cup of coffee already in hand. Severus followed behind looking much more awake, but he shook his head at them with a frown.

"Must we always get up at the crack of dawn every year?" Severus said disapprovingly.

"Well, you can all stay in bed and let us just open our presents as we wake up."

"Alexandria, sit down and eat," Severus chided her as he walked to the head of the table, glancing at Thomas who immediately sat next to him. "Lose a toss, did we?"

"Just trying to get close to the kippers," Thomas said evenly, nodding to Jennifer as she sat across from him. "Stayed up too late again, did we?"

"I had to wait up for Severus," Jennifer said, Thomas looking at her dubiously.

"Now, let's all sit back and be tolerant of each other today, shall we? This our first Christmas in this home and the first we have your grandfather here to enjoy it with, and I for one would like to have a relaxing, non-explosive sort of Christmas," Severus said making a gesture with his hand at the end, the covers all disappearing as each of them immediately grabbed for their favorite thing. Severus sighed as Alicia complained loudly about Andrew hogging all the sausages, and Jennifer merely grinned at him. But finally they settled to their meal despite Alex, Andrew, and Alicia taking turns giving long looks towards the living room while Aurelius was pointedly doing his best to ignore it.

"Grandfather, have you always celebrated Christmas?" Alex asked curiously. Severus and Jennifer gave her a dirty look, but Thomas didn't seem to mind.

"Not until I married your Grandmother," Thomas answered calmly. "My father was a very strict individual when it came to Craw family code. We purchased mistletoe for Yule, of course, and lit candles in February, but other than that, every day was like any other."

"What a dreary thought," Andrew said.

"Oh, it wasn't all that bad. Father was exceedingly rich, so anything I wanted was in my grasp, and I didn't have to wait for a particular day or be unnaturally good to earn it either."

"Yes, that explains a lot, doesn't it?" Jennifer said in a dry but joking tone.

"If you mean to imply I was spoiled in any way, Jen-girl, I was not," Thomas said, apparently not taking offense. "The Craw mansion was a rather lonely place to grow up in. I spent most my summers studying dark magic with crass tutors and looking forward to school, since I had no siblings of my own to keep me company when I wasn't studying."

"Did you have many friends in school?" Alex asked with interest. Thomas grimaced and shook his head slightly.

"Acquaintances. Only acquaintances. I traveled with a rather elite crowd belonging to families that… well, many of them have either died off or were killed off either by following Voldemort or by not following him."

"Father, please, not at the table," Jennifer insisted.

"And not at Christmas," Severus added.

"Did you go to school with anyone in your excavation company?" Alex asked.

"Alexandria, if you're done, you're excused," Severus said. Alex smiled sheepishly, putting her napkin on the table.

"Us too?" Alicia asked hopefully.

"Yes, go ahead and assemble if you like, just no peeking," Severus frowned. Alicia and Alexandria both went to sit on the couch while both Andrew and Aurelius finished their breakfast (although admittedly both seemed to be in a hurry,) the adults coming in soon after they were finished.

As the mayhem began to unwrap in front of the tree, Alex couldn't help but notice how subdued her grandfather was, watching the whole proceedings in a calm very much unlike him as he sat beside Severus sipping licorice tea. Her Mum however, was chattier than normal as if she was getting excited about the whole Christmas thing herself, suggesting presents for each one to open next.

"Look! Here's one for you from Morfinn, Andrew! I had one too filled with chocolates, but yours is bigger than mine," Alicia said. "Lovely paper though, isn't it?"

"It's Hanukkah paper," Andrew said, opening a small note card. "'From me to you, so you don't have to keep borrowing mine. Happy Holidays, Morfinn Bliant.'" Andrew tore away one corner, than immediately laughed. "It's that Medical book on Magical Anomalies! I should have guessed it."

"Magical Anomalies?" Jennifer repeated. "Andrew, I didn't know you were interested in the healing arts!"

"Well, I'm not exactly," Andrew said, mustering up his courage. "I'm just curious as to what reason anyone would have to have sex while invisible. I mean, how would you always know what you were doing?"

"Andrew!" Alex and Alicia exclaimed, horrified.

"Well, I'm sorry, but I've been dying to ask that for months now," Andrew admitted.

Aurelius snickered. Thomas wasn't quite sure what brought up the question, but immediately looked over curiously at his daughter and son-in-law whose faces had turned quite pasty.

Immediately flipping to the right page, Andrew passed the book to Severus, who stared at it a moment before resuming his normal, neutral expression and handing it over to Jennifer, whose jaw immediately dropped and she shut the book closed.

"Do you mind if we move on to another present?" Severus suggested.

"Am I ever going to get an answer?" Andrew asked.

"Later," Severus said in a low warning tone. "Alex, I believe you were up next."

"Can't I open this one now?" Alex asked, picking up the rectangular one, weighing it in her hand.

"Oh, don't you want to wait until last on that one?" Jennifer suggested. Alex grinned then.

"So this must be the most expensive one? That's the one you always want us to open last," Alex said.

"Am I going to be able to actually use any of this stuff?" Alicia interrupted as she looked at all of her new brushes and paints with a frown.

"We'll discuss it," Severus said noncommittally. "Alex, why don't you pick something you don't know what is."

"It's a wand, isn't it?" Alex said, refusing to put the box down. Aurelius, who was sitting behind her trying to put his miniature potion lab together, rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Well you didn't expect me to allow you to abuse my spare wand forever, did you?" Severus said evenly.

"Actually, I'd like to see it myself," Andrew said as he fiddled with putting together some new miniatures, transforming some of the pieces into something more compatible for his Hogsmeade village.

"Oh very well," Jennifer said at last. Alex nearly had the paper off before she even finished speaking, taking only a moment to admire the cherry wood case. But then as she began to open the golden clasps, she noticed the tiny black stamps on either side of the center clasp.

"WWW! Why, this is one of Corey's wands!" Alex squealed. Andrew, Aurelius, and Thomas both winced at the high-pitched note.

"Yes, it's a joint present, Alex, we paid for the cost of the components and Corey chipped in the labor," Jennifer said as she peered in at the glossy new cherrywood wand.

"It's lovely!" Alex said happily. "It's a little heavier than my old one, but it's the exact same size. Oh look, here's an envelope attached to the inside of the case." Alex got it out and began to read it to herself.

"Well?" Severus said impatiently, and realizing everyone was waiting for her to read it, she blushed.

"Actually, it seems it's to you both as well," Alex admitted, looking at her parents.

"'Dear Alex, here is a replacement wand for you. It is very special, more so than any other wand I've made, and I dare think this time I've given even old Grendelbane a run for his money. I suppose before I go on, I had better explain to Mom and Dad who are probably listening to you read this that I didn't end up using the magical component we had spoken of in this wand. But to explain why, I really have to go back to what happened a few weeks ago when I went into Toby's Trinket Shop looking for a new mortar. He asked how you were after what had happened, and I told him you were fine and mentioned in passing that I was making you a wand. Anyhow, you all know how chaotic that shop can be, but every time I've gone in there needing something in a hurry, it always seems like Toby has it, and usually in plain sight. But this time what with the holiday crowd jostling and the shelves filled with everything imaginable I found myself having to do a thorough search. For some reason, I just couldn't imagine him not having a simple marble mortar in his collection of silver faucet keys and diamond necklaces. But after an hour perhaps even longer I had nothing to show for the search and was about to give up when I found a strange box labeled, Extremely Rare Magical Token Saved for a Wand of yet Unknown Design. DO NOT LOSE!"

"'I admit, I couldn't help but stare and wonder about that last part, when I discovered that Toby had snuck up behind me and seemed to be staring at it with the same wonder that I was. That was when he said, "Oh, so that's what you were looking for! Why, I haven't seen that box in absolutely ages!" He was so excited, I wasn't about to tell him I was actually there for a mortar. Curiously, I opened it and saw inside nothing more than the single scale of what I thought must have been a very large snake. When he saw my confusion, the old man closed the box and murmured to me that the scale was actually the scale off the head of a Questing Beast. I'm not sure why I didn't doubt it. Somehow I know as sure as I stood there that was exactly what it was. "But isn't that beast incredibly evil?" I asked. He laughed then, or coughed…I'm really not sure which. But at the end of it, he said, "My dear boy, that beast is no more an offspring of the devil than I am. It's merely misunderstood. I am very happy that you found the scale though, although I can't imagine just how it got put there. And I will even allow you to buy it, provided that you allow me to provide a note to go along with the wand when you give it to your sister." "You mean, I'm supposed to put it in my sister's wand?" I said with complete surprise. Somehow, I'd missed him ever saying that before. "Well," said the tinker, "if you give it to anyone else, I dare think it'll get lost again, and that won't do anyone any good, will it?" So, Alexandria, without further adieu, here is the one-of-a-kind wand and the rolled note of the Tinker. P.S. If I ever had any doubts that it was you that should get this particular wand, those doubts ended after your little Christmas present. Many thanks, and let's just leave it at that… Corey."

"What exactly did he mean by that?" Jennifer asked.

"Never mind that, let me see that wand and that message," Severus snapped, sounding strangely irritated.

"I want to read it!" Alexandria protested, holding the small rolled note in her fist and scooting back out of her father's reach. "Don't worry, I'll read it out loud." Severus hesitated, then scowled and folded his arms, wondering if that wouldn't prove to be a mistake.

"'Once there existed a Questing Beast, that no one can deny, although how it came into being no one really knows. Theories from the most wicked to the outrageously whimsical have been proposed to explain it; from the frightened common man to the most learned of wizards, the true origin is probably enough to make all of us look like fools for whatever explanation we have hatched. I am of the opinion it was probably an experiment gone wrong in the very early days of Transfiguration by a wizard looking for something challenging to hunt. But whether that guess is good or wrong, I do not know, nor do I really want to know. That is not the true significance of the Questing Beast, nor is the significance, really the beast itself. It is the hunt of the Beast that makes it important.

"'For once there was a lineage of noble knights, and from these were great hunters who named the Beast their quarry. For generations they hunted it in vain, seeing its tracks but never catching it. In fact, they hunted it for so long that I don't think they recall what reason began the hunt it began with. They searched upon all countrysides, meeting different people, learning their histories and ideas and spreading their own. Few really took any of the lot of them seriously. Many thought them quite mad. And then, when they heard that one of these knights had finally caught the Beast only to let him go again, they were quite sure of it. But I do not think so. You see, the need to quest, no matter what the quest is for, is truly a quest to find oneself. It challenges you to overcome nature, the establishments of man, immorality, and your own limitations, without giving up what you believe in. Quests can be enlightening, defeating, defining, humbling… and sometimes all of that at the same time. And although people don't really call them quests anymore, all people go on them in their lifetimes even in these days. But there are some rare individuals who quest not for the goal, but for the thrill of the quest itself… the excitement of being challenged, of constantly reinventing oneself and rediscovering oneself, of not being driven down a particular path but rather inclined to try as many as they can. Therefore, a true quest is a quest for inner peace, self-excellence, and happiness. For those with the questing instinct, they achieve that just by finding another goal to reach, and nothing else will suffice. I see those qualities in you, Alexandria, and that is why you and no other can truly wield this wand. It doesn't like staying in one place any more than you do, and you will make a good team. But please, in the name of Pellinor, don't ever lose it.

"P.S. If your grumbling, paranoid old goat of a father takes offense to the wand, let him know that if he takes it, I'll make sure that it finds its way back to you anyhow. Sincerely, the person you know as Toby the Tinker.'"

Alex looked over at her father. He was scowling even deeper now in pure annoyance.

"Wow, what a fantastic wand! And what a great message!" Andrew said. "Can I see it?"

"Sounds to me with that part about choosing all paths at once that he said she was chronically indecisive, and we all knew that," Alicia teased.

"So," Aurelius said slowly as everyone started fumbling for more presents. "Has anyone else figured out who Toby is yet?"

"Aurelius, Pact it," Severus snapped. Aurelius immediately shut up and reached for something hidden under some paper. Alex frowned at him, wondering just exactly what Aurelius was thinking.

"This one looks like it's for grandfather," he said, picking up a rather flimsy package and handing it over.

"Oh, that one is from me," Alex said, watching expectantly as he opened it and found himself staring at a Muggle made magazine.

"TVChoice?" Thomas frowned at it.

"I got you a year's subscription…delivered to our Muggle post address of course," Alex said cheerfully. "Now you'll always know what's on the telly! It even has all sorts of articles and things!"

"Interesting," Thomas said, sounding a bit reluctant as he glanced over at the rest of the family. "But would you mind if we kept this whole contraption business under the rug? I hardly think this would be a conversation piece for public knowledge."

"Certainly not," Jennifer said.

"Your secret's safe with us, Grandfather," Andrew grinned.

"Well, at least someone is getting some use out of the thing besides being another surface to pile stuff on," Severus mused, glancing under the tree and the piles of crumbled paper. "We've gotten everything now, haven't we? What's that big box in the back over there?"

Alicia crawled over to it and unattached a small envelope, reading it.

"It's to you, Father, from Professor Weasley."

"Really?" Severus mused, taking the envelope and glancing at the note card inside it.

"Well?" Jennifer asked. "Fair's fair, you've been making all of us read our cards."

"I hardly think the children would be interested," Severus said with a sigh, but read it anyway. "'Severus, I realize that with everything occurring these days that the thought of a follow up article to your study on Magical Flux Effect is probably the farthest thing from your mind. However, when I found this particular device courtesy of an independent study on gauging magic potential through monitoring electrical impulses in certain parts of the brain, I thought you might be interested. It is thought to be the most accurate measure of both magical energy and transitional thought abilities, so it may come in handy if you ever decide to continue your research. H. G. Weasley.'"

"Transitional thought?" Alicia asked puzzledly.

"It's a telepathy detector!" Alex said excitedly. "Let's try it!"

"Yes, it sounds like fun," Andrew said.

"It is a piece of research equipment, children, not a parlor trick," Severus chided them. "Perhaps we'll break it out later. But for now let's work at cleaning up and you four getting dressed before anyone drops by. In fact, I think I hear the door now."

Thomas, who had been completely absorbed in his magazine immediately stuck it in the seat of the couch behind him as Severus got up to answer it, the four children racing upstairs to their rooms leaving the exasperated Jennifer to deal with the mound of paper.

"Stall a moment, will you?" she suggested, getting out her wand to tidy up.

Severus opened the door to see Harry standing there, his expression so apologetic that Severus knew at once he was here more on business that a social visit, despite the bundle of presence under his arm.

"Not too early, I hope?"

"No, not in this house," Severus said, letting him in. "Getting even for last night, are we?"

"Just returning the favor," Harry said in agreement as Severus sat the presents on the end table. "Also I have a message from Moody. He says thanks for the cloak, although he thought it was a rum deal getting the thing you owed him as a Christmas present."

"Well, he wouldn't have gotten a present at all otherwise," Severus said expressionlessly. Harry merely grinned at him.

"Harry!" Alicia had been the first to make it back to the stairs, thundering down them as the other three appeared, following behind her. "Happy Christmas!"

"Hullo! Happy Christmas," Harry said, taking the four smaller boxes off the top of the stack and handed each out. "Doesn't matter which is which, I admit I cheated and got all my godchildren the same thing this year."

Alex managed to get hers open first, making a face as she saw it was a gold beetle about two inches big, so realistic that it almost looked as if it were a real bug dipped in gold paint. Touching its back, the legs wriggled and Alex jumped back, dropping it.

"It's alive!" she declared. Severus rolled his eyes.

"Wow, Egyptian scarabs!" Andrew said, picking his up and watching its feet wriggle thoughtfully.

"Yep, they're scarabs," Harry said as Alex sheepishly picked up her box. "They're good luck pins. The feet are charmed to grab onto a shirt or cloak if you hold it against you."

"Clever," Severus said expressionlessly, "Although I do think that a fifth year Hogwarts student should have recognized at once that it was an animation charm." Alex giggled nervously at that, although she still didn't really want to pick it up. But after watching the boys play with them, Alicia braved picking hers up, sticking it on the shoulder of her blouse.

"They're very cute," Alicia said. "Although I suppose they're not really charmed to be good luck, are they?"

"Well, better safe than sorry," Harry grinned.

"'Better safe' consists on not believing in them at all," Severus said. Harry sighed at him.

"You don't change much, do you?" Harry said.

"Happy Christmas, Harry!" Jennifer said as she came in from the living room, hugging him. "Won't you come sit down?"

"Sorry, I don't really have all that much time today. I have to meet Corey and his gang for the hospital and special services run."

"Well, don't let him forget to drop by before he heads off to Essie's. I would like to see him some this Christmas," Jennifer frowned.

"I'll remind him," Harry promised. "Might I have a quick word with Thomas?"

"I'm right here," Thomas said, stepping up behind Jennifer. "Shall we go to the study?"

As Thomas, Harry and Severus headed down the hall, Severus paused when he realized that Alex was following close behind.

"And just where do you think you are going?" Severus frowned at her.

"Well, I was thinking this might have something to do with that imposter, and since we were there, and I'm the oldest…"

"Goodbye, Alex. Why don't you go help your mother?" Severus sighed.

"I have gone through a lot this year," Alex said, standing her ground. "Including losing one of the few people important to me not to mention having the unpleasant situation of waking up in Malfoy's basement. I have the right to know."

"Maybe next time, Alex," Harry said, Severus glancing over at him thoughtfully. "Look, right now there are still a lot of questions to be answered. When we find out something definite, I promise I'll let you know."

Alex slumped a bit and leaned against the wall as they headed to the library, not looking at all appeased by Harry's intervention.

"Anyone want to help me set up a tray of sandwiches and relish for lunch?" Jennifer suggested.

"Me!" Andrew said, immediately heading to the kitchen with her. But Alicia and Aurelius stood a few moments longer, making a pretense of putting away their pins as the eyed their sister knowingly.

"She's got that look again. Like we're soon in for trouble," Aurelius whispered to Alicia.

"Maybe it's that 'questing instinct'," Alicia suggested.

"And that inspires an instinct in me to duck and cover," Aurelius said. Alicia merely grinned at him before they headed back into the living room to finish picking up their things.


	25. Outcasts

Chapter Twenty-Five

Outcasts

Severus waited at the top of the stairs of the study for a few moments to discourage any eavesdroppers before finally joining Harry and Thomas, standing by the fire.

"Harry, I'm sure that you're hardly here to exchange holiday trivialities," Thomas said, glancing at Severus. "Now that we're not distracted, do you mind telling us what this is all about?"

"I want to know how much you know about the death of Kanak Naresh," Harry said. Thomas looked at Harry for a long time, his expression unchanging.

"What makes you think I know anything about it or that I even care?" Thomas asked.

"You were willing to risk going back to prison for it," Harry pointed out.

"Is there anyone that doesn't know about that?" Thomas snapped, leaning against the mantle.

"You of all people know that what information comes in an excavation license office never stays in there," Severus said, Thomas grunting in reply. "You're lucky that no one bothered to take your signature; written, magic, or otherwise. I'm sure the real Thurspire would be dying to get his hands on some evidence."

"What I want to know is why you didn't ask one of the others already down there to get information for you? Was it a personal matter, or was it that you felt you can't trust them?" Harry asked.

"Does it matter?" Thomas said, looking in the fire.

"Considering I think it's more than obvious to everyone that Naresh was murdered, yes," Harry said. "In fact, I think it's more than likely all of this started with his death rather than with Brad's." Thomas sighed softly, and Harry glanced at Severus and back again. "Look, we want to know who is behind this just as much as you do, but we can't possibly do it if we don't cooperate."

"I will tell you a story about him," Thomas said at last, gazing distantly into the fire. "Although I don't know if it'll really do your investigation any good, but it'll explain why I will not answer you directly to any questions about him. You see, Kanak Naresh was a friend." Severus raised an eyebrow at that.

"I don't think I've heard you call anyone in this current crew of yours that," he mused.

"No, I don't ever use that term lightly, Severus, as you well know. Even Audi I see as Alice's friend not mine. A friend to me is someone so trustworthy they would not turn you in even if they thought what you did was wrong. Naresh was that sort of friend and more. You might as well get comfortable," he added. "This is a rather long story."

"Kanak was in so many ways an outsider. Our old expert…damned if I even remember his name now…got a better deal with someone else when we were just starting out, unimpressed by our progress with the governments and such. The List brothers, however, had dealt with the man on previous digs, and took the opportunity to invite him. I took immediate offense at them hiring him without consulting me; I had been home at the time. His grandfather, as it turned out, had been an illegitimate son of the Cromwell family… wizard branch of it, of course… who had an affair while abroad in the Empire. He was reluctantly given a part of the estate when they proved to the consulate that they were related, but as you can imagine not at all accepted by the dark families of my time. To add injury to insult, the man's offspring was squib. When he accused his 'legitimate' family of cursing him, he mysteriously disappeared, leaving his teenage boy to fend for himself in India. From this boy and a Muggle girl came Kanak, and he too had no magic…something none of his ill-gotten blood money could buy him. He was as unlike me and as dislikable a man as anyone I could have ever met despite a Malfoy.

"But I was hardly alone in my distain. Scur, Brad, Branson… all of us of respectable dark families kept well away from him unless direct contact was needed for business. I would have sooner not eaten at all than share a table with him. It seemed bad enough breathing the same air. We even emptied out a corner of the supply tent so he didn't have to sleep with the rest of us. Weylin, who we honestly treated little better in or out of the cage we kept for his monthly lunacies, made a quick friend of him. And of course the List twins ate with him, but I'm not sure it wasn't out of defiance rather than a true liking for the man. He was hardly their type; the two of them being loud and rowdy and he quiet and extremely taciturn. He barely spoke of anything but work while he was on site, although he was always rushing off to meet his wife in between claims. A private man; but considering our opinion of him, that suited us just fine.

"The season before we found the tomb in Egypt with the map, the company was working on a claim on the lower Nile, intolerable conditions, really, even with all of the magic we used to make it bearable. And just our luck, the rainy season came very early that year, and us with an open dig. I was called down at once as was Kanak, and the weather was positively miserable. We had no choice but to try to work around it, however, because our claim expired at the end of the month, and although we had quickly secured the last of the magic items, we had not even begun to put the Muggle artifacts back in place…a job which dreadfully must be done by hand to keep it from looking 'too' perfect, or clean, forcing us to work between lulls of heavy storms. Having so many artifacts removed, the supply tent had to be used for just that, leaving us all to huddle up in the main tent, and tempers were nothing but short.

"One particularly wet day when the entire dig site was filled with water and there was little hope of drying it to continue, we all found ourselves imprisoned in our own tent. Most of us who were stuck in that mess were playing cards. I was neither in the mood to play nor was I any good at it, so I went to the desk to research our items and get some estimate of the value. Kanak did not play cards, nor any game associated with gambling. He instead spent a the time looking out the door of the tent at the site, since it was going to be his job to make sure it was all put back together right. But then I noticed him turn and look at the group at the table with almost the same calculating look he had given the site. And then he looked at me. I pretended to ignore the scrutiny despite the fact it was irritating me to the point of distracting me from my work. That was when he stepped over to the desk and I sat up and watched him, expecting him to say something about how to progress under the current conditions. But apparently that was the farthest thing from his mind.

"'Have you ever heard of the Harijans?' he asked me.

"'No, are they a native village?' I said with a shrug. He smiled thinly at me, as if he were enjoying the conversation no more than I was.

"'You probably know them more readily as the Untouchables, the true meaning of the word "outcasts," those without station in the Hindu communities of India. They were allowed only the most menial of work, spat upon and cursed. To associate with one at one time might mean not only humiliation but also a loss in station or worse in the eyes of your fellow jati. For thousands of years they were treated that way, until it became so common that many fail to see them as making any contribution to humanity, or even truly human at all.'

"'Yes, yes, yes, I've heard of all that,' I said in annoyance, seriously contemplating firing the bastard if this turned out to be a sermon or protest of how he was being treated. 'I thought that bald Muggle in the loincloth cleared all that up years ago during the separation from Britain,' I said, waving it off.

"'His name was Gandhi,' Kanak told me coolly. 'But a law that changes a name can only do so much when a society has been conditioned to look down upon one for generations. Rather like the American hero Abe Lincoln, who freed the slaves and declared them equal, and yet for a hundred and forty years after the fact they are still fighting for it.'

"'Kanak, what the devil does all of that have to do with anything? We're not planning any expeditions to India nor do I intend to ever in the near future.'

"'That's too bad, Thomas, perhaps it would help you see how bad things are getting in Britain,' Kanak said. 'But it is my calling to study society, and my curse to have to live the reality of it. Things are not well at home. The lines between the pure bloods, mixed, Muggleborn and Magicless-born have grown into walls…some barriers made for power and control; others for defense. You may not see them so well being at the top of that tier, Thomas, but I who have straddled many of those in my lifetime do not miss them forming. Soon there will be a call to sides, when those of us in the middle will have to choose which to stand on.'

"'Craws side only with themselves,' I said unconcernedly, turning back to my work.

"'Yes, but from the Craw side you too have alienated yourself,' he rudely pointed out. 'I come to you because in many ways you are just as much of an outcast as Weylin or I am. Perhaps someday you will be ready to face that truth.'

"It wasn't long after he walked outside that I found myself throwing down my quill, glaring ferociously at the others when they curiously looked my way to keep them from asking why I was irritated. His reference to the hatred growing between myself and my father for me marrying a mixed blood had come to a head at that point, and it was honestly one of the reasons I took any excuse to get out of the country, despite having to leave Alice behind with our toddler daughter at the house. And, in a way, I was just as angry at myself for alienating my family by marrying her. But guilt and my sheer Craw stubbornness kept that anger at bay until the fateful night that Voldemort brought it out in me. I had did not see then, of course, how right Kanak was, and I absolutely refused to see any similarities whatsoever to how we were treating those outside our circle and what he was talking about.

"But then the inevitable did happen. My family like many others were on the run, and unfortunately, Voldemort's 'temporary setback' did nothing to dissuade old Death Eater's from attempting to get even with me for getting out. So, as you all know, I faked my death to protect my family, and yes, I spent most of that time up north with the giants. But not all of it. No, the first few months I had spent with the man who helped me with the arrangements to fake my death. And that man, surprise, surprise, was none other than Kanak himself.

"He had managed to get himself 'lost' by living among Muggles, although within his house a Muggle lifestyle he didn't keep. Some of that was for the sake of his wife, who had grown quite frail after some nasty new strain of Malaria there wasn't a potion for, and much to my surprise, an adopted son…but no ordinary son was he. Not Wizard. Not Muggle. Not even human. He was a goblin. Of course when we were introduced I couldn't help but stare at Kanak for the insanity of taking in what I deemed as a filthy creature not worth anything other than a house servant, but Kanak as always seemed tolerant of my opinion.

"'We found him as a baby, wandering alone at an abandoned claim,' Kanak said when the 'boy' was out of the room. 'The government couldn't find anyone connected to him other than he must have belonged to a family there, but the Bank denied any claim to him nor did they want to take on the responsibility of transporting him back or finding him a home. He is an outcast, just like us, Thomas,' he told me.

"I flinched at the word, but how could I deny it? Pride was not something I was prepared to let go of. Kanak both understood and respected it, despite the fact that I think he would have persuaded me differently if he thought he could. Anyhow, after a few months there, the reports of Malfoy's increase of 'legitimacy' in Britain and his growth in industry disturbed me. His enterprises were growing in both Europe and in America, and would soon reach over the Mediterranean. Not wanting to put either Kanak's family or my own in greater danger I left. I would have liked it if I could say I never saw the man again. But I saw him one other time, and that was the day he told me my wife was missing. I admit that I was anything but a good friend that day, and although I have few regrets in my life, had I known that his own wife had been taken from him the year before I never would have lashed out as I had."

"What happened to the goblin?" Severus asked.

"Who knows? I've been a bit out of touch," Thomas said dryly. "To be honest, I was hoping to find a clue of that during that short trip to Europe, although I suspect the boy long changed his name. A goblin raised by Humans would definitely not be taken seriously by his society."

"So this explains everything then," Harry said. "The goblin connection, a possible motive in revenge for his adopted father's death…"

"It doesn't explain everything. Naresh was a peaceful man with very strict ideals, he wouldn't bring up any child, human or otherwise, without instilling those ideals," Thomas said.

"You also said that Scur wasn't capable of killing. Obviously everyone can't be innocent," Harry pointed out. "What about the Red Fist? Naresh had his bit of the map, and if he had taken it from him…"

"Fyren said he lost it in a poker game. Naresh doesn't play poker," Thomas said impatiently. "I don't know how he got it."

"But Fyren did have the opportunity."

"The killer also had the opportunity to take the key to the vault, but he didn't," Thomas said. "And what reason would the goblin boy have had for killing Brad?"

"Brad was a known goblin hater," Harry pointed out.

"So is Scur, but no one has tried to attack him," Thomas retorted.

"Yes, isn't that interesting," Severus mused. He had been so quiet that the other two had forgotten he was there for a moment. "And it's also interesting considering the dagger intentionally planted in Brad's back."

"So that might have been intended to set Naresh's son up for the murder." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Tell, me, Thomas, how many of your crew knew about Naresh's adopted son?"

"I don't know. It happened years after the company went bankrupt," Thomas admitted, shaking his head.

"Then perhaps it's time we found out?" Severus suggested.

"So much for being done in Africa," Harry said dourly, then remembered he had to get going. "Happy Christmas."

* * *

"Jen-girl!"

The bellowing started early. Reluctantly Jennifer came out of her room, shuffling in her slippers as she walked down the hallway to stare up the stairs.

"Those damned House Elves of yours aren't working again! There's no breakfast! There's no…"

"Dad, it's their day off." Jennifer's yawn hid her exasperation. "It's Boxing Day. We always give them Boxing Day off."

"Days off for House Elves? You have to be joking!"

"It's a family tradition."

"It's not my family tradition," Thomas said, making a sign as if trying to ward off an enemy. "Who's going to polish my shoes? Clean the hearth? Set out my morning paper? And what about breakfast?"

"Fine, I will start breakfast," Jennifer said in annoyance. "But you can go up to the attic and fetch your own paper."

"Fetch my own paper?" Thomas repeated incredulously, turning back towards his room. "Next she'll be asking me to clean! I didn't have to do that even in prison!"

In spite of Thomas' rocky start, all four children woke up in a cheerful mood to the smell of food, nearly all of them thinking about what Christmas present they were going to pull out first. Alex glanced at the clock anxiously, already fully dressed when she came down to breakfast.

"I can't wait to see Rose today! I really hope she liked her present! And I can tell her about my wand!" she said excitedly as she sat down.

"Well don't forget to thank her for the bracelet she gave you, and don't forget you have a couple extra chores today! Alex, your room was a mess last night, I hope you picked it up," Jennifer scolded her.

"Oh, no I forgot all about it. Maybe we'll just hang out in the attic," Alex said.

"It'll only take you a second to tidy up. Andrew, you're on familiar cage duty, Alicia making beds and changing out the towels, and Aurelius…" Jennifer paused and leaned over slightly, hearing footsteps on the stairs. "See what you can do to keep your grandfather bearable."

"I hope you're not overcooking my eggs again," Thomas said with a frown when he came in and saw her hovering by the table instead of the stove. "What's the point in having so many House Elves if you can't take advantage of them?"

"Perhaps a day off now and then will prove just how much we take advantage of them," Alex suggested, but quieted down when her grandfather gave her a dirty look. Jennifer, however, smiled at her almost approvingly.

"It's a good thing today is check-in day at the parole office. Boltin always takes the afternoon off so we can meet at the Leaky Cauldron afterwards and he can tell me how inadvisable it is for me to say half the things to my parole officer that I do," Thomas said casually, pulling his plate over when Jennifer sat it down. "Where's Severus?"

"Sleeping in. He didn't get to bed until early this morning," Jennifer sighed. "He was up all night practicing his violin in the study."

"Really? That sounds serious. What exactly did Harry say last night?" Alex asked with interest glancing at her grandfather.

"Alexandria, please, just finish your breakfast," Jennifer sighed. "Don't forget you have a lot of chores to do before Rose gets here."

"Making them do the dirty work with Mercy gone, are you?" Thomas said.

"Everyone does his or her fair share, just like I made you breakfast," Jennifer pointed out to him.

"Well I am not participating in this silly little experiment of yours, especially without having the luxury of magic to aid me as all of you have," Thomas said, getting up. "I have an appointment to keep. Jennifer, I need you to press my robes."

"Press them yourself! I'll transfigure you a hot iron," Jennifer said irritably.

"It's okay, grandfather, I'll help you," Aurelius said quickly, shoveling the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and grabbing a piece of toast to take with him.

"Thank you, boy, I'm glad there's at least one person in this family that actually shows some respect," Thomas said, waiting for him to get up. "Pity that your siblings aren't more like you." The other three stared at him speechlessly as the two of them headed upstairs.

"Alicia, if I ever start acting like him, put me out of my misery," Alex declared.

"She'll have to beat me to it," Andrew joked before going for seconds.

* * *

Rose immediately parried all the questions Alex had about Christmas Eve, throwing her hands in front of her like someone trying to ward off nosy reporters.

"Please, I'm really embarrassed to even think about it!" Rose protested, closing the door of Alex's room, suspicious that the others were listening in.

"Why? Did it go all that badly?" Alex asked anxiously.

"Well, no not exactly… I found out he wasn't married… but I can't believe you did that to me! And what an inconvenience that must have been for him! And what an idiot I was!"

"Oh, come on! You have to tell me now…you've told me too much already! Why do you think you were an idiot? I'm sure he didn't think you were."

"I'm sure he did, because I went and kissed him at the end," Rose said with a sigh.

"You what?" Alex said in surprise. "Wow, Rose, I didn't think you had that in you!"

"Neither did I," Rose admitted. The two of them looked at each other before breaking into giggles. "Oh, Alex. I think I've probably ruined everything, now. He hasn't written to me at all since Christmas Eve."

"He's probably in shock," Alex smirked. "Have you written to him?"

"I wouldn't know what to say," Rose admitted. "I mean, at the time it was almost… well, it was almost as if he were shyer than I was. It emboldened me, but now I really do feel like a fool."

"Yes, but did you enjoy it?"

"Alexandria!"

"It's a simple enough question," Alex laughed at her.

"No it isn't! It's… it's much more complicated than that," Rose said. The two of them fell into silence then, gazing into the vanity mirror from where they sat on the bed.

"Do you know…I'm not sure I was really in love with Xavier after all," Alex said at last.

"Why do you say that?" Rose asked thoughtfully.

"It was too simple. Too easy. Too convenient. I once heard my father tell Corey that he would know when he found the right girl just by 'how damned inconvenient' it is at the time," Alex said in a mimicking voice, Rose chuckling. "He makes love sound like a train wreck into a brick wall."

"I hate to say it, but I think he's got a point," Rose grinned. "Because that's exactly how it felt, except maybe that I actually enjoyed getting train wrecked."

"I'm sure nearly everyone does," Alex said. "So just what are you going to do now?" Rose looked thoughtful.

"Well, I don't think I really have the right to do anything until I know for sure how he felt about what I did," Rose decided. "I guess I'll just have to sit and wait for him to make the next move." Alex looked thoughtful a moment then nodded.

"You're right, he should. I just hope he's got more nerve than you do," Alex chuckled.

"Anyone who can stand up to Ciardoth in dragon form has to have a lot of nerve," Rose insisted.

"I don't know," Alex grinned at her. "Love can be a pretty tricky adversary."

* * *

When Jennifer went to check on Severus, she couldn't help but be alarmed when she realized that not only was he awake, but he was quite busily packing both his Cloak Chest and his Hogwarts trunk at an almost dizzying pace.

"Don't tell me you're leaving again already!" Jennifer protested.

"There's something I must know, Jennifer," Severus said, picking his Pensieve off the shelf and sealing it before carefully placing it in the chest. "And all the pacing in the world isn't going to help me discover it if I'm here."

"You think Naresh's son might have something to do with Heckletown being down there, don't you?" Jennifer said, watching him go back and forth.

"It would seem to fit. His son would be an outcast in goblin society, and considering how many wizards feel about his race it would be safer for him to seek help among his own kind. That would mean asking help from other outcasts. That would explain why Lost Empire Excavation is down there, and also why he might want the map."

"But I thought you told me last night that you believed that someone only tried to make it look like he murdered him? If he's innocent, why go after him?"

"Because I think it is highly likely that if he isn't the murderer, he very well knows who it is that would attempt to set him up," Severus said. "Your father doesn't believe many in his excavation company even knew of the goblin, let alone met him. But at least one of them does. Hand me my spectacles case, would you please?"

"And so you just expect me to stay here while you go off chasing goblins and criminals again?" Jennifer said irritably, handing them the spectacles case anyhow.

"Well if you don't mind leaving those four with your father you're more than welcome, although I'm not sure how much you're going to see me, because I intend to…" He paused as someone knocked on the door and Jennifer went over to open it, Andrew standing behind it.

"There's a whole bunch of people at the door," Andrew said, sounding a bit nervous. "Minister Thurspire and Mr. Boltin and several other wizards."

"What? I thought Dad was having lunch with Boltin today," Jennifer said, fear gripping her as she hurried out, Severus not far behind. "What's going on? Where's my father?"

"You don't know?" Thurspire asked grimly.

"He didn't show up for his appointment?" Jennifer said, glancing at Boltin, who nodded.

"Or at the Cauldron either. He's not here?"

"No, he left over an hour and a half ago," Jennifer said.

"Mind if we check his room? See what he took with him?" Thurspire asked. Jennifer stared at him.

"He wouldn't have run, if that's what you're implying," Jennifer said icily.

"Then you won't object us checking," Thurspire said evenly. "And even if you didn't, I'm afraid you'd have to let us. It's part of the conditions that in the event we suspect there's a parole violation that we have immediate access to any evidence."

"I'm afraid it does say that," Boltin confirmed when Severus glanced in his direction.

"Boltin, you've known Thomas for quite some time. Does he seem like the man who would decide to disappear right before a meeting with his parole officer?" Severus asked.

"No, he would wait until right after," Boltin agreed. "As I've been telling Thurspire for the past ten minutes. I think something is wrong."

"Fine, but can we see his room now? Just to be sure," Thurspire insisted.

"Andrew, would you take them upstairs? We'll be right up," Severus said, glancing at his wife. Jennifer couldn't help but feel a queasy and numbly allowed Severus to steady her. "Are you all right?" he asked in a low voice as Jennifer futilely attempted to shrug her worry off. "I suppose I should have added him to the watch as well."

"I just hope he doesn't turn up dead," Jennifer murmured.

"Well it would hardly be the first time," Severus said wryly. Jennifer glared at him. "Don't worry. Your father can take care of himself, magic or not. Considering everything he's survived, I don't expect he would go down quietly. Come on."

Despite Severus' words, it was hard to really relax. But Jennifer found her mind clear to deal with it as they headed upstairs. Alex and Rose stood in the door of her room watching the whole proceeding worriedly, while Aurelius and Andrew were the suite, talking to Thurspire and the other enforcers.

"I told you already, he wasn't acting any different than he normally does," Aurelius sighed.

"But you did say he was irritable," Thurspire pointed out.

"Exactly," Aurelius said.

"He was only irritable because of the House Elves having the day off. It was hardly anything to disappear over," Andrew said.

"Thurspire, isn't there supposed to be a guardian present when you interview a minor?" Severus asked as they walked in. Many of the officers stepped out of the way as Jennifer walked around to inspect the room and closet. She searched the wardrobe as if looking for something specific before nodding to herself.

"Nothing's missing. There are things in here I know he would have taken if he had meant to leave," Jennifer said.

"You see? I knew he wouldn't have bolted, he's much too proud to do anything of the sort," Boltin said. Thurspire gave him a hard look then turned to his men.

"We'd better go find out where Lucius Malfoy is. Dunhurst, you go back to the Ministry and let Minister Malfoy know the situation?"

"What? Not me! Last time I tried to talk to him he about blasted my head off. If you want to search the Malfoy's, you do it!" Dunhurst retorted.

"Fine, you just volunteered to be the one to tell Lucius we have to search his house again," Thurspire said with a grim smile, then nodded to Severus and Jennifer. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find him and have him back soon. Just leave it in our hands," Thurspire said, following his team out. Boltin looked at him dubiously, smiling sympathetically as he reluctantly he followed them out.

"Leave it in Ministry hands," Severus muttered in annoyance. "Fine, I'll let them search all they like in their jurisdiction."

"You don't think he's in the country, do you?" Jennifer said quietly, conscious of the two boys watching them steadily.

"No more than you do," Severus said in a low voice. "I'll be on my way within the hour."

"And I, apparently, will stay here," Jennifer said without much enthusiasm, glancing at her watch. "Boys, go to North Broom and ask Alicia to come home, please. I'd prefer we all be here if we hear anything new." Aurelius and Andrew looked at each other and headed out of the room. "Don't tell me, you'll be back before school starts."

"And post every day if possible," Severus promised her before heading down the stairs. Jennifer sighed and shook her head.

"Oh, Dad, just what have you gotten yourself into this time?" Jennifer murmured before finally turning and leaving the empty room.


	26. Confession of a Kidnapper

Chapter Twenty-Six

Confession of a Kidnapper

Alex hopped onto the train immediately hearing her name called and saw Rose and Mandria in the doorway of one of the nearer compartments. Waving at the others Alex went over to them, nodding to Conner who was sitting in one corner as they pulled her in.

"Are you all right?" Mandria asked with open concern.

"Any word about your grandfather?" Rose asked anxiously.

"None at all," Alex sighed, sitting down by Rose. "Not going to the prefect's car?"

"Well, not unless you want us to," Mandria said. "We thought you might want someone to talk to, what with everything going on."

"It's been rough. Mum's not taking it well at all," Alex admitted. "She got very distracted, pacing all the time and making poor Dodger check the main post office for mail so much that he said his wings were beginning to cramp."

"And your father?" Mandria asked.

"Oh, he's not been home. He's been down with the company since the whole mess started," Alex said.

"Well, I see he has his priorities straight," Conner said sarcastically. Mandria hit him in the side.

"Actually, he does," Alex said, bristling. "Father thinks grandfather's disappearance is directly related to the murder of Brad, and if that's so, then the excavation company is the key."

"Why is that?" Mandria asked. Alex sighed and looked at between them, settling on Conner.

"Could you leave the room a moment? I need to talk to Mandria and Rose. Girl talk," Alex said.

"Well, anything you can tell her you can tell me. I hear about it anyway," Conner said casually, not getting up.

"Yes, so I found out," Rose said dryly. Mandria looked uncomfortable.

"So how is Prince Charming these days anyhow," Conner asked casually.

"Very well, thank you," Rose answered primly.

"Never mind. It isn't important," Alex murmured, slumping lower in her seat.

"Nonsense, of course it's important," Rose said, turning to her Alex. "I know if my grandfather ended up missing, I'd be terribly upset. He means the world to me."

"Well, everyone actually likes your grandfather, Rose, he's like a permanent stone monument in Wales," Conner said, Rose giving him a dirty look. "Alex's grandfather has earned quite a number of enemies over the years. Not that I blame him for what he did to the old Death Eaters. He has guts, and a lot of people admire him for that. But nearly everyone I know expected him to go missing at some point."

"Grandfather wouldn't leave this world without a fight," Alex said firmly. "And if this is related to the person who killed Brad, he's most likely still alive."

"And why is that?" Conner prompted her, curious in spite of himself.

"Well, because that person hasn't made any effort at all in hiding corpses," Alex reasoned. "There's no sign at all of grandfather anywhere."

"Alex, I don't want to blanket your hopes, but wasn't Brad dead for weeks before anyone found him?" Mandria said quietly.

"Only because no one was looking for him. He was in plain sight, he just didn't have anyone who cared to check up on him," Alex said.

"How terribly sad," Rose murmured.

"They say he lived for his money, I suppose that's what it gets you in the end," Alex said.

"All the same, wouldn't you rather die rich than die poor?" Conner said.

"I don't suppose I'd like to die in either case, thank you," Alex said. "There are more important things than money."

"I couldn't agree more," Rose said. "Don't worry, Alex. I'm sure something will turn up soon. No news is good news, they say."

"Yes, but whoever said that obviously never had to wait on a missing persons case," Alex said grimly, Rose putting an arm around her comfortingly.

* * *

"Anyone who can live with giants, escape a sentence of death from the Death Eaters twice… once by running and once by faking his own death… nearly kill the Dark Lord himself and then serve time in Azkaban and be little worse for the wear for it is not the sort of person who would just 'disappear' without some sort of fight," Hephaestus declared supportively. A round of hearty agreements came from all around Aurelius at the Slytherin table. "I suppose my guess is good as any, but I wouldn't be surprised if wizardly corpses began to pop up again, and I don't mean his."

"Now you sound like Thurspire. If he was in a mood to go on a rampage of any sort, I'd have noticed something wrong. Well, except perhaps Lucius Malfoy. He'd be glad to kill him no matter what mood he was in," Aurelius said. "Not that anyone would care."

"What a horrible thing to say about an alumnus," Jocelyn said. "Especially one with money. Of course people would care."

"Then they would be fools, for as many times as he has tried to manipulate this house against our purposes for his own, he's doesn't deserve it, money or not."

"Vell, you should know, Vart," Eigil said with a nasty smile. Aurelius ignored the heat in his ears, nodding at him coolly.

"You're right, I do know. And I hope nobody makes the same mistake that I did," Aurelius said.

"We did," Stock corrected softly, and Aurelius glanced over, nodding to him.

"We did," Aurelius amended. "And no matter what has happened… no matter what happens outside these walls, while we're here it's the present house and each other that's important, not what former Slytherin are doing."

"Well, they tend to give us money…"

"Money isn't everything, Heph!" Aurelius snapped.

"Prove it," Heph said, his eyes flashing.

"Very well," Aurelius said, folding his arms across the table. "Have you ever tried to bribe a Hogwarts teacher?" Heph grew quiet.

"Vun doesn't need to bribe dem if vun knows how to get dem on vun's side," Eigil said evenly.

"In which case," said Xavier, walking up behind them, "it does nothing but prove Aurelius' point. Money is just a tool that can help get you where you want to go. But it's not the only tool. You have to find the right one for the job. As for alumni affairs, I agree with Aurelius. The Craws and Malfoys have both had notable members in this house for years, but even if they decide to go head to head, our business is here. This is our time, not theirs. Aurelius, I know you cannot help your family ties or completely ignore what is happening, but I also know from what you just said I can count on you to continue your work keeping the points up. In fact, to make certain we have this year in the bag, I want you to do thirty points better this semester than last."

"Thirty points more from just my year?" Aurelius gaped.

"Consider it make up for the points you lost us last year," Xavier said seriously, getting out a rolled up parchment. Eigil sniggered. "That's an order, Aurelius. And here's your errand list. Don't leave anything out this time?" Xavier warned, and slowly Aurelius took it. Nodding to everyone sitting around him, Xavier headed back towards the rooms. Quickly excusing herself, Jocelyn followed.

Glancing over the extended list, Aurelius combed his hand through his hair, trying to figure out just how to get that many more points when they had been nearly exhausted getting what they had. It was quite easy… perhaps sometimes too easy… to rig other houses to lose points. Earning them short of Snape's class, however, was not quite so easy. Especially in Singh's class; the new teacher often forgot the points even existed unless there was a particularly naughty student he wanted to punish. The faculty had become extra stingy on volunteer work, quite convinced that the 'good nature' of the students had ulterior motives.

"Don't worry, we'll make it up with the sparring tournament," Heph said smugly. Perhaps he had a reason to be smug. Since Aurelius was no longer in sparring, he was the favorite to win for their year. "You'll help me practice again, I assume?"

"I don't know if I'll have time…" Aurelius admitted. In fact, he wasn't quite sure he was going to have time to fit in all those extra errands on top of his regular work, let alone extra credit for points. "I think I need to go work on my schedule. I'll let you know if I can, Heph."

"Don't vurry, Heph. I vill help you," Eigil said, Heph brightening instantly. "Ve'll let Xavier's little man to go about his business."

Aurelius got up without a response and started down the hall, Stock only hesitating a moment before following behind him.

"Anything on that list I can pick up for you?" Stock asked.

"Thanks Stock, but if you can just keep on rolling in those extra points from Professor Sprout that'd be more than enough help. She's not too impressed with most of our class' assignments, but yours is doing well," Aurelius said, picking up the pace.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Stock said.

"Do what?"

"You know, all this suck-up you've been doing because of what happened last year."

Aurelius stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Stock.

"All I am doing is what Xavier says is in the best interests of the house," Aurelius said slowly.

"Rel, everyone knows Xavier's been nothing but a total wash-up since that Hogsmeade trip. He won't even associate with the house at all unless its through you or Jocelyn. To be honest, most of the house is starting to think Eigil's a better leader than Xavier is. You know, if you are going to try to get in everyone's good graces again, you should try to make some amends with Eigil. Everyone thinks he'll probably be going for prefect…"

"I am not doing this to get into anyone's good graces!" Aurelius snapped.

"Maybe not any person's graces," Stock nodded. "But you are doing it for house support. If you're looking for a clean slate, Rel, you're not going to get it by supporting Xavier, and it's about time you realized it."

Angrily Aurelius turned on his heel, going in the opposite direction and ignoring Stock's calling out to him as he pushed through into the secret passages towards the classrooms. Jennifer, who had just come of out of the Defense room, gazed thoughtfully at his face as he passed her and went in. The door was partially open, so Aurelius only let fall a swift knock before entering.

"Hello, Aurelius," Severus said without looking up from his work. "If this is about wanting an update, it'll have to wait until this afternoon. I still have some class material to go over for today."

"It's not, as usual I'm only concerned about my own selfish dilemmas," Aurelius said in such a bitter tone that Severus looked up and put down his quill, the door quietly shutting with a subtle movement of the hand. "When does it end? At least tell me how long it's going to take before this fight gets a little easier."

"It doesn't get easier," Severus said softly. "It merely changes. And it doesn't end. Do you know why?" Aurelius sighed, slumping near the fireplace so he could pet Rasputin who was lying sleepily across his old box.

"Probably because even if everyone else in the bloody world forgets I once sided against those I cared about, I'll never forget," Aurelius muttered. Severus nodded.

"I wondered how long it would take you to say something," Severus said. "They've been reminding you quite steadily of it lately, haven't they?"

"It's what they don't say that's worse," Aurelius sighed.

"And then there's Hauk… the outsider who's most outspoken of all because he has no ties to hold him back."

"You know about that too?" Aurelius asked slowly.

"There's very little in Slytherin house that gets by me, Aurelius, you should know that by now, and a lot of busy little mouths chattering about that brawl in Hogsmeade. What brought it to a head today?"

"Stock made a comment about my doing errands for Xavier," Aurelius admitted, slightly embarrassed. Severus blinked at him. "I just… snapped… strange but now that I'm not angry it doesn't seem as important anymore. Stung, though."

"Yes, well, a lot of little stings can quickly add up, especially when someone has made little effort to walk away from the hive," Severus agreed, then squinted. "You say you've been running Xavier's errands? For how long?"

"Since the beginning of the year," Aurelius admitted. "Apparently they think I'm sort of brownnoser, but it wasn't like that. Yes, I want to make up some of the trouble for last year, but that's not why I'm doing it. All I'm trying to do is help the house."

"Yes, well, you need not convince me or anyone else your intentions, that is for you to decide. Let me see the errands please," Severus said, snapping his fingers.

"There's nothing wrong on there," Aurelius assured him, handing it over. "I just make the runs to the Owlery, make requisitions for borrowing school equipment, Quidditch appointments…"

"I can read, thank you," Severus said. "A rather extensive list, are you certain you can keep up with this and your schoolwork?"

"No, not really," Aurelius admitted. "Are you going to talk to Xavier about it?"

"Well, that depends on whether or not your marks slip. If I see or hear of them coming down even one score…"

"Understood," Aurelius said solemnly. "It's too bad that I don't have another hour or two in the day to get this all done. I don't suppose you would have time to help?" Severus' face fell into such an admonishing look that Aurelius grimaced.

"If I had the time to spare, I believe I myself would put it to better use."

"You think I'm being taken advantage of, don't you?" Aurelius said. Severus looked at him thoughtfully for a moment.

"Since you obviously have enough sense to ask the question consciously, I would say no," Severus said, tapping his papers against the desk to straighten them and standing. "I think, considering what you just told me, that instead of worrying what anyone else thinks, you should work on what's going to make living with yourself more tolerable. In the meantime, if things get out of hand, feel free to come to me and I'll see what I can do. Now if you don't mind, it's about time for class."

"Thanks," Aurelius said, getting up and heading towards the door. Putting his hand on the knob, he paused a moment. "I don't suppose Dumbledore might have some spare time?"

"Perhaps he might during the week, but you'll have to take that up with him," Severus said in pure exasperation. "Remember, even one little drop in marks…" Severus warned, moving one finger swiftly across his neck.

"Yes, Professor," Aurelius said, quickly hurrying out of the room. Severus sighed and shook his head, putting his glasses back in his case before heading out to face his first class.

With Aurelius and Alex preoccupied with their own thoughts, it was Andrew who first noticed how strangely Alicia had been acting. Having had an early class, Andrew was all the more ravenous at lunch, sitting next to Halbert and Zacchius, who seemed to be glad to be back at school. He waved at her from the table, but Alicia didn't seem to notice, her nose stuck in a book with Morfinn on one side and Phoebe on the other, both making efforts to get her to talk to them.

"I wish the four of you could have spent more time with us over the holidays," Zacchius said. "Zoë hasn't been the same since she started that American school. Her 'I'm too old for that' attitude is so immature! And then she started dying her hair! She didn't think she was blonde enough for California. I think that dye has gone to her head."

"Well, with father gone so much, Mum didn't want to spend much time away from the house," Andrew explained. "I say, Halbert, that was some excellent collection of candy you came up with for presents! It rivaled Honeydukes to say the least."

"It is a little shop that caters to Beauxbatons. They make their own sugar candies and import the chocolates. Ma mere prefers the rum figs and brandied cherries, while Dad likes the chocolate covered beetles the best. A lot of the animals like them too," Halbert put in when Andrew and Zack both grimaced.

"So what's with Alicia these days, Andrew? Is she going through that 'too grown up' thing as well?" Zack asked.

"Oh, so you've noticed it too?" Andrew said.

"Well, she seemed unusually intent with her Transfiguration lesson today. But short of that section we did on color transformation, she's always disliked that class. And she didn't even try to stick anything up my nose when I came behind her after class and tossed her books in the hall," Zack said.

"Truly, that doesn't sound like your sister," Halbert agreed. "Perhaps we should ask one of her housemates?"

"You just want an excuse to talk to Ginger, don't you?" Zack challenged him.

"At least I do not harass the girls I like by playing vicious pranks on them," Halbert said back.

"Neither do I! What in the world makes you think for one moment that I like Juliet, anyhow?"

"What makes you think I was speaking of Juliet?" Halbert said with amusement. Zack pulled apart his tuna sandwich, slapping it on Halbert's face. Before Stewart or Rose sitting on the other end of the table had even noticed what had just occurred, food began to fly from the entire section, and even as they jumped up to intervene, the first sandwiches started to fly at the other tables.

Jocelyn and Aurelius jumped up as well, ordering everyone at Slytherin to not lift one finger as the event escalated to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. But when a scoop of gelatin hit the back of Eigil's neck he made a movement for his plate and Aurelius immediately reacted, pulling his wand out and making it fold up the ends of the tablecloth over the food.

"I said, no one move," Jocelyn snapped when Eigil began to rise and face Aurelius. "Back in your seats, everyone! No matter what happens! You too, Juliet!" she added, when she saw her sister had some pink coconut bird cake stuck in her hair.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Snape's voice boomed. Everyone in the Great Hall froze to see Snape, Sprout, Ravenclaw and Scribe standing in the back doorway, none of them looking very happy to be there. Quickly Jocelyn whispered for them to uncover the tablecloth, the Slytherins each folding their hands below their plates as if nothing had happened and Aurelius quickly took his seat at her command. "Unless you are a prefect, take your seat immediately!" Snape continued. "Who started all of this?"

Immediately a round of hands went up, and despite a handful of Gryffindors that had refused to do so, it was altogether obvious whom the majority were pointing at.

"Zacchius Black. I should have known," Snape growled, the other three professors shaking their heads. As he walked up to where they sat only the sound of his feet could be heard, sometimes muffled as he stepped on an occasional sometimes-identifiable piece of food. He gazed not only at Zacchius, who defiantly stared back, but also at Halbert and Andrew, who were quite covered and doing their best to avoid his scrutiny.

"Detention, twenty-five points," Snape said, pointing at Halbert. "Detention, twenty-five points," he continued pointing at Andrew. "Detention, fifty points, and a trip to Weasley's office. Now," he added with a flash in his eyes as Zacchius slowly got up. He moved to wipe off his face and then found that he couldn't, his hand suspended in air. "Oh, no, I want you to report to her exactly as you are. And since she happens to be having tea with Headmaster Dumbledore, I'm sure it will prove to be interesting. Wait for me at the door, I am dying to see her expression when you walk in," Snape said with a thin smile. Zacchius, who at that moment rather enjoyed the idea of him doing just that, turned and walked out of the Great Hall. He was well aware of how many sets of eyes were on them, the glares from his own table enough to make the hair on the back of his neck bristle. Snape then took another look around, eyeing the prefects at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables before turning to Stewart and Rose.

"I see that you have once again utterly failed to control your housemates and keep what I'm sure began as a small incident from escalating to insane proportions. Your irresponsibility and lack of discipline in such matters should most decidedly be taken into account. On top of the hundred your classmates lost you, another fifty will come out for your inability to stifle it. As for the other two houses who participated," he continued, raising his voice slightly. "A hundred points from each house for getting involved in something that shouldn't have even been any of your business to begin with!" Dozens of forlorn eyes glanced up at the point glasses, watching helplessly as three of them began to quickly empty out. "As an addition, since you have so little respect for the value of the food offered to you and summarily take it for granted, no more will be offered to you for the rest of the night in the Hall or in your room. And don't be surprised if the pitchers in your dorms only dispense water. One word of complaint from anyone will result in detention and another point deduction. Any comments?" he added lightly, but the room was very quiet as he stepped over to the Slytherin table.

"I see you managed to keep discipline in check over here as usual, Jocelyn," Severus said, glancing at the students who had gotten hit with flying food. "I can't precisely reward you for doing what you do normally, although perhaps a small token of twenty points for keeping discipline within the house during a trying situation is in order."

"I'm afraid I can't take full credit, Professor. Aurelius jumped in and helped me when things began getting rather tense," Jocelyn admitted. Aurelius looked at her in surprise.

"Oh, very well, ten points for coming to the assistance of a prefect," Severus sighed with a look of boredom. "And I'll throw in a pass or two for those who seriously need a shower before class but that is the limit of my generosity. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to eat sometime as well?" he said, tossing out a few passes before heading back out of the room, ignoring the glares coming at him from the other three tables.

It was Saturday before the four of them found any time together, planning to meet at one of the study tables in the library. Andrew was the last to arrive, each one murmuring a greeting as he put is book down and tiredly took a seat.

"Those are some nasty marks on your hand, Andrew, what happened?" Alicia asked from where she sat next to him. She had set her homework aside and had opened up her paint case, blotting water mixed paints onto some test paper at seemingly random places.

"Oh, detention last night," Andrew muttered. "Professor Singh had us all scrubbing the boat docks and every boat from top to bottom because he's planning to take his second years out on the lake to talk about the limitations of liquid transfiguration. Since he needed to have the weekend free, he had us working on it until well after curfew. And am I exhausted," he declared, putting his head down on his books.

"Wow, that's harsh," Alex said, grimacing. "When I get in trouble for talking in class, all he does is make me copy pages."

"There's a big difference between talking out of turn and causing the Great Hall to erupt in _nearly_ complete mayhem," Aurelius said.

"Oh, don't accentuate 'nearly' like that, we don't want to hear all about the glories of Slytherin and their perfect discipline when we all know they held back for their own interests," Alex said. "We have a lot more important things to talk about than house points. Like finding our grandfather," she said, putting a familiar leather book on the table."

"Alex! How did you get the photo album?" Andrew frowned.

"I got it out of Mum's office. Dodger borrowed it for me. Don't worry. I'll have him return it later. Alicia, I want you to pick out a photo of grandfather and do your stuff," Alex said.

"Alex, you heard Father. He said no more painting traveling and that he'd take care of it," Alicia said. "If he wanted me to use a painting to help him, I'm sure he would have said by now."

"Look, we all know that paintings are the fastest way to find people," Alex said.

"It didn't help find Mum when she was missing," Alicia murmured.

"I seriously doubt anyone would mess with his memory," Alex said.

"He could be dead," Alicia said.

"We would have heard something by now," Alex insisted.

"Look, if Father wanted me to try this method of finding him, he'd have already asked." Alicia argued.

"He might not have thought of it," Alex said.

"He thinks of everything," Alicia retorted.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold up. You're both starting to get awfully loud," Aurelius hissed.

"Yes and unusually argumentative. Alicia, it isn't like you to refuse something like this, not like you at all. In fact, it's the only time I can think of that you have," Andrew said. Aurelius squinted at her.

"Well, then maybe it's about time!" Alicia stammered, folding her arms and looking stubborn. The other three looked at each other.

"Alicia, if you're afraid what's going to happen to Mum is going to happen again, I can understand that, but something has to be done," Alex said quietly, putting a hand on her arm. "He has to be found."

"But what if he doesn't want to be found?" Alicia blurted out, and the other three stared at her wide-eyed. "Look, if I told you he was safe, would you drop it and not worry?"

"Well, it seems we just found ourselves a kidnapper," Aurelius mused thoughtfully. Alex and Andrew looked between them, their jaws agape in shock at their sister.

It was fairly simple then to see what had occurred after that.

Ever since the imposter had attempted to find the house, Thomas knew he was putting the family in risk by staying, but under the circumstances of his parole conditions, he could not do anything to help matters either. Letters about the failure of finding the correct dig and another team in the same area disturbed him to no end, until at last he knew he couldn't bear to be idle anymore.

It had been easy during the holidays to get Alicia alone to speak with her about it, and it had taken quite a while to convince her they were doing the right thing, despite the inevitability that it would most likely end with him back in Azkaban. But on that morning, they walked to the park together; and that was where he had truly 'disappeared.'

"All he cares about now is seeing this thing through and making sure that the murderer is found," Alicia had told them when they had found a quieter place to talk. "Look, we all know how it feels to be told we can't do anything about what's going on around us. What was I to say? He's gone down to find out some things for himself. And I think we ought to respect his wishes and let him."

"All the same we should tell Father and Mum so they won't worry," Andrew said.

"No! You heard what they said the last time. I'll lose my lessons for sure!" Alicia pleaded.

"We don't have to tell them you were involved," Andrew said. "But you know they've been going through the same thing that we have…reduced to sitting and waiting for the mail to arrive or worse have Revere himself show up, or even a member of the Ministry. Not that I think that he's out of danger by any means, but I think anything to alleviate the misery we've been going through is something. You can't possibly expect them to go on worrying like that, Alicia." Reluctantly, she nodded.

"All right, then it's settled," Aurelius said. "Snape said he was going to be unavailable this weekend, so we'll talk to him about it first thing on Monday. In the meanwhile, I say we take the time to catch our breaths and do our best not to get any farther into this mess than we already are." Andrew and Alicia nodded fervently before Aurelius turned to Alexandria who looked thoughtful. "Well?" Aurelius said impatiently.

"Fine, but I reserve the right to change my mind," Alexandria said.

"And I reserve the right to tie you up if you try," Aurelius said coolly. Recognizing that the face off that followed was likely going to continue forever, Andrew and Alicia decided to change the subject.


	27. The Trouble with Knowing Too Much

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Trouble with Knowing Too Much

Jennifer awoke to see a crack of light shining in from Severus' study and immediately got up, taking only a moment to pull on her slippers before gently pushing the door open. Severus was sitting near the table, chewing on the end of his unlit pipe while studying a pile of issues of _the Daily Prophet._

"Back again, I see," Jennifer said and he looked up at last, removing his spectacles as she came over. "Are you feeling all right? Your skin tone is rather strange."

"Oh… no, it's nothing. Hand me the brew bubbling on the Bunsen, would you? It's all I need," Severus said, and Jennifer sniffed it thoughtfully before handing it to him.

"I hope you haven't picked up some wild bug doing all that traveling. I don't like to think about how you're overextending yourself with this…"

"Oh, nonsense. I've taken every precaution, I assure you. Thank you," he added as she handed him the mixture and watched him steadily as he drank it, his normal coloring beginning to reappear. "I admit it hasn't been easy going back and forth all the time, but it is hardly anything I haven't done before. And I do have good news this time, so don't go into your nag about it not being worth it."

"You saw Father?" Jennifer asked anxiously.

"Well, no, but I don't think he was far off, either," Severus said, warming his hands against the cup thoughtfully. "The more time I spend down there, the more I'm convinced that Lost Empire Excavation had absolutely nothing to do with your father's disappearance. I also find it interesting that neither Belle nor Moody seemed particularly concerned about his absence."

"Severus, you don't mean they had something to do with this?" Jennifer said with a frown.

"No, they would never have gone along with any plan that would further endanger his parole, Jennifer. That would have been the furthest thing from their minds. I do however believe that if he had contrived a way to leave the country without setting off any Ministry alarms from him attempting to Apparate, port key, or take any other public means of transport out of there, that they might allow him to stay."

The look in his face confirmed the conclusion that Jennifer herself was coming to, but still she shook her head, hoping for something to disprove them wrong.

"I just don't believe it. Not after everything we talked about and lectured over, and disciplined and threatened…"

"It seems that Alicia is just as stubborn as your father is in some ways," Severus agreed, earning an exasperated sigh from his wife.

"But this is serious! What are we going to do? How are we going to hide it now? Oh no, our baby is going to face criminal charges…"

"Jennifer, please try to calm down! I hardly think Alicia did anything with criminal intent."

"But that's not the point. She helped a convicted murderer flee the country…"

"She helped her grandfather get somewhere he would have tried nearly any method to get to," Severus said, getting up and walking over to another small bubbling pot he had been preparing.

"But the Ministry won't see it that way, Severus," Jennifer said, feeling her anger rising. "How dare he pull something like this? I can't believe he used her like that, his own granddaughter! So this is his idea of respecting family? Using them, knowing she'd get in trouble! I swear if he does show up again, I'll make him wish he never…"

"Watch your language," Severus snapped at her as he added something to the cup in his hand and forced her to take it. "Drink it."

"What is it?"

"Subtle Slumber, drink it."

"Ugh it's too strong," Jennifer complained after just a small sip but Severus tipped the cup up, ignoring her protests until she finally took a healthy swallow.

"Now sit down, count to ten, and we'll try to discuss this again, shall we?" he said, Jennifer glaring at him in annoyance. She folded her arms and sat down, her anger now more over Severus' handling of the matter than of the matter itself now. "Your father knew getting into this exactly what it would mean for him when he got back to London. Considering that, I am certain he has full intentions of taking total responsibility for his absence. I think under the circumstances, now that we know he is unlikely to be in any present danger except that which he brings onto himself, that you and I should probably let the matter stand."

"Yes, fine, Father can take care of himself, but what about Alicia?" Jennifer asked. Severus sighed, sitting down beside her.

"You know, even though Alicia clearly has traits more inclined to your family than to mine in many ways, there can be little doubt that along with inheriting your family's stubbornness and will to survive, she has also inherited the Snape refusal to be outdone by anyone. Over the years, we've tried everything from attempting to teach her responsibility and attempting to make her only travel with supervision, to disciplinary actions including restricting her privileges at home, extra chores, not allowing her to go out with her siblings and friends, not letting them come over, banning her from Quidditch, her art supplies, and everything else you or I could possibly think of. I've spoken to Dumbledore, Minerva, and even have written to Carol about the problem with little useful advice given back, and I am sure you have probably mentioned it to one or two people you trust as well. And now, she has reached an age where even if we found some new and original way to attack this problem it would be doomed to failure before we even tried.

"Therefore, there remains only one solution left, and that is that we let her go where she likes without disciplining her for doing so. Yes, I suppose it does sound risky, but I have never known her to go alone on these ventures of hers. Of course, if she breaks any other rules during her traveling we should still hold her responsible, but it is time she begins to understand true consequences for her actions. For all we have tried, we cannot possibly protect her from her ability. Instead, it is time we reinforce the same priorities we place on the others. Schoolwork, marks, not missing classes, and making sure her family responsibilities are being attended. Any objections?" Severus added quietly, gazing at his wife who had fallen asleep beside him. "Good, well that settles that then," he said, taking out a blanket from underneath the table and gently setting it on top of her.

* * *

The next morning as Severus was double-checking a test key, there was a knock at the door. He waved it open, glancing at Aurelius and Andrew as they stepped in.

"Must you always attempt to report right before classes?" Severus said critically.

"It's been hard to catch you at any other time lately," Andrew said apologetically. "And you were gone all weekend…"

"Well, yes, but what is it?" he asked. Andrew glanced over at Aurelius.

"It's about grandfather," Aurelius said carefully. "You see, the four of us have been talking, and we're not completely convinced that he was taking completely against his will."

"Oh, really," Severus said, glancing back at his papers. "And what exactly makes you think that?"

"Well, this business about him being taken before his parole meeting instead of after," Aurelius said carefully. "Grandfather is a brilliant man. He would have seen right away that if he left after it everyone would see that it was him, but if he left before, no one would suspect him. So we think that it's quite possible that he still might have left on his own accord."

"Oh, do you," Severus said in the same tone as before. "Only you forget that your grandfather has quite a number of charms on him placed by the Ministry to keep track of where he goes. That means that if you are correct, someone must have assisted him," he said, his voice turning almost thoughtful before turning his gaze steadily upon them. "Any ideas who that might have been?"

"No, of course not…" Andrew said quickly.

"Not at all, sir," Aurelius said at the same time, glancing at Andrew before continuing. "But grandfather does have quite a few supporters, so it's not unfeasible, is it?"

"I will ponder that possibility," Severus said, dismissing them with a wave. Seeing no other choice, the two of them left.

"Well that didn't go very well, did it?" Andrew murmured as they walked down the hall. "Really, I don't blame him. Without outing our sister we have no proof."

"Andrew, didn't it strike you in the least bit odd that not only did he not seem surprised to see us that he was also not in the least bit surprised as to what we wanted to talk about?" Aurelius said. "I think he already knew something. I think he already suspects where grandfather might be."

"Well! I suppose it's all right then until the Ministry finds out, isn't it?" Andrew mused. Aurelius merely grinned at him in reply.

* * *

In spite of Alex's attempts to do otherwise, the four Snapes finally found themselves able to turn their attentions to their schoolwork. January suddenly flew by, and despite the distractions of Rose's preoccupation with running to the Owlery ten times a day and Zacchius trying to keep Peeves from getting him into trouble, it was soon the beginning of February.

It was also at about that time that Zack had had absolutely enough of the overzealous poltergeist. After an attempt by Peeves to start another food fight by antagonizing Zack to throw food at him, Zack finally drew the line.

"I am calling an end to this once and for all," he declared as he sat down by Halbert and Andrew. "I already spoke to Professor Scribe, and I have officially removed myself from that stupid adoption program."

"But what are you going to tell Peeves?" Halbert asked with a frown.

"I already told him. I told him that I'm completely done with bothering him, and if he bothers me anymore, I'll stuff him in a potion bottle and throw him in the lake," Zack said.

"Oh, come on, Zack. You wouldn't ever do anything that mean," Andrew said.

"Wanna bet?" Zacchius dared him. "I'm sick of being treated like an absolute criminal in this school, and Peeves was a big part of the reason for it!"

"Zack, I don't think Peeves was ever so much of a problem as you instigating him. I mean, he is a pain at times, but he can hardly be blamed for what he is," Andrew said. "To be perfectly honest, most of what you've been through over the last two years you really did to yourself."

"No one asked you," Zack snapped at him.

"I hope you're not having a fight down there," Stewart called from down the table. "Don't make us get involved, Zack."

"Oh, mind your own business," Zack said.

"You are my business," Stewart said. "Now finish your lunch and get ready for your next class. Conner will go with you."

"Me? It's Rose's turn to watch him. I have Arithmantics next," Conner said.

"Well, she isn't here, is she?" Stewart retorted, but Conner was busy glancing around.

"No, look, there she is!" he pointed out. She was walking slowly to the table while trying to open an envelope in her cold red hands, ignoring everyone as she made a seat for herself at the end of the table. "Hey, Miss Lonely Hearts, I hope you're not planning on eating today."

"What?" Rose said, quickly folding the note back up and out of sight.

"It's your turn on escort duty," Stewart said.

"What, again? Can't Conner do it?"

"No, Conner can't do it," Conner said with annoyance. "Maybe you should actually spend lunch eating instead of hopping stairs two at a time only to have to dodge owl dung for an hour."

"Oh, shut up, Conner," Rose said, drinking down her juice. "Fine, I'll do it, but if you talk to me like that again, you had better think twice before picnicking with Mandria under the Elf Willow this spring." She got up again, walking over to Zacchius seat. "Well, come on, let's go."

"I'm not done eating yet!" Zack protested.

"Well, you're done enough. It's not my fault you're always in trouble and I have full intentions of reading the post before Snape's class. You're coming now," she insisted.

"Why is it that I get rid of one pest only to have another one on my back?" Zack said in annoyance, getting up.

"Because you deserve it," Rose said. As the two of them began to walk away, Alex waved questioningly at her, and she nodded. Alex grinned and got up, walking over to Andrew.

"So is everything set up for tonight?" Alex asked.

"Doctor Sagittari agreed to escort us through the forest," Andrew nodded.

"Good, I was afraid for a while there that Mum was going to do it," Alex admitted. "I'll let Alicia and Aurelius know. Anyone else coming?"

"Just Halbert, I gather. Aunt Anna won't let Zack do anything these days, Morfinn's too ill, and Aurelius says the only friend he would be willing to invite hates them," Andrew said.

"Hates them?" Alex said, having no comprehension of how anyone could hate Unicorns. "Rose has halls tonight, and Mandria doesn't want to go. She says it's no fun standing in the cold and watching others having fun. I suppose she does have a point."

"I don't mind. I just want to see them up close," Halbert said eagerly. "But why not wait until spring when it's warmer?"

"Because I don't think Aurelius would let us," Alex admitted with a grin before walking back to her table.

Rose waited impatiently for Zack to get his books before rushing down the hall only to look back to see Zacchius taking great pains to go as slow as he possibly could.

"Oh, please stop dawdling!" she said. "There's no reason for it."

"There's no reason to hurry. We have ten minutes before class. By the time you walk me to Charms, you'll still have five minutes to get to Defense."

"But that's not enough time!" Rose said.

"Well then, you could let me walk myself to class," Zack reasoned.

"You would like that, wouldn't you? And the moment my back is turned you'll either skip class or do something else unreasonable and I would get blamed for it," Rose said, getting behind him. "Just keep walking," she added, slipping the letter back out of her coat. But she hadn't read more than the first line before she was aware of Zack slowing again. In fact, he was trying to get beside her.

"So what do you two talk about, anyhow?"

"It's none of your business," Rose snapped, stuffing the letter away again.

"Do you meet him in secret a lot?"

"I've only met with him just the once, if you really must know," Rose said, looking around impatiently. "Please, Zacchius, can't you walk just a little faster?"

"Well, it's not like it's going to go poof or anything, is it? Really, why do girls insist that everything has to be immediate? It isn't going to kill you to wait until after your next class," Zack said.

"Someday you'll meet someone special and then you'll understand," Rose said, a bit relieved when they finally went around the corner near the Charms room.

"Scary thought, isn't it?" Zack grinned.

"I feel pity in advance for the girl," Rose said wryly and nudged him to go in. At last he took his place and Rose bolted down the hall, nearly colliding with half a dozen students as she made her way down the long corridor to the Defense room, but when she got there she slowed to a halt, for the rest of the class was standing at the closed door. "Don't tell me it's locked!"

"I believe Professor Snape had lunch with Librarian Boulderdash today," Xavier said. "I'm sure he'll be along any moment."

"What happened to you, Rose, I thought you would have been the first one here," Stewart commented. "You did get him to class didn't you?" Stewart frowned at her.

"Eventually," Rose said dryly. A hushing sound erupted from the Slytherin side and Rose turned to see Snape coming down the hall, arriving to unlock the door just as the bell began to toll. Just her luck! In pure annoyance she took her seat at the end of the front row where Descartes cawed out cheerfully to them from his place by the hearth, snapping his beak in such excitement that the class took special pains to stay away from him.

"Get settled, please," Snape warned them as he moved to the blackboard. "I have a very long lecture today, so let's not waste any time. Open your books to two hundred and thirty, notebooks and quills ready and we'll get started on countering complex death curses and its limitations."

As Snape began to drone on about a topic Rose seriously doubted she would ever encounter as a Herbologist, she began to quickly lose interest. Of course, she had heard rumors that Sludgebat had been cursed a time or two… Rose couldn't help but grin at that. Anyone stupid enough to cheat dark wizards with shoddy components probably deserved what they got. Would anyone ever be tempted to curse Athos? Rose tried to get interested again, because it occurred to her that that might be a possibility. But as her thoughts dwindled on him, her hand felt the paper in her pocket, and temptation overwhelmed her. She forced herself to write down a couple of the notes, but had already lost the direction his lecture was going, finding herself flipping the page when she heard everyone else around her turn theirs.

Not being able to stand it any more, Rose pulled out the letter and quickly folded it into her book, tilting it so no one could see what she was doing. Eagerly she read it, thrilling from every word as her thoughts went back to that night, when suddenly her dreams turned into her worst nightmare as the letter in front of her was snatched up by Snape's swift hand.

"And just what do we have here?" Snape said, walking off with it before Rose could even react. "A counter curse? Or Rose's death curse waiting to go off?" Stewart, who was sitting behind her, kicked her gently in the ankle, but Rose didn't feel anything but her hot face. "Well, perhaps I should read it so we can find out," Snape said with a wicked smile. The Slytherin side of the room sounded quite delighted about the idea. Rose sank even lower in her seat, pinching herself to try to wake up.

"My dearest Mademoiselle," Snape began. "If a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, still no flower would compare to you. Since the countless hours since I've heard your voice all sound has become hollow. Outside of your presence, my breath becomes shallow. Only my impatient eyes keep me going, eager to read each word written by your delicate hand, consuming them with a hunger of the soul while my trembling hand eagerly writes if only to appease my eyes once more. Truly, it is not words alone that my eyes want to gaze upon. If I were but the sun so that I could see you every day and highlight the gold within your hair. But alas, I am nothing but the shadow of a man, a man now and forever your humble servant, yearning for the day we may meet once more. Yours without question…" Snape paused then, staring at the byline and realizing the class was waiting intently for him to read it. Suddenly he folded the note in half. "Yes, well, you get the idea," Snape said. Most of the Slytherin students who had been on the edge of their seats disappointedly slumped back into place. But their eyes grew wide in complete surprise, for when Snape reached her desk again, he held it out for her to take. Quivering from embarrassment, Rose quickly snatched it and put it away, deathly afraid he would change his mind and ask for it back.

"I will not have notes of any sort passed in my class, Miss Bailey," Snape snapped. "I would not ask any less from my own daughter. That will be twenty points from Gryffindor, and detention with Professor Craw. I'll have it arranged myself. And if I _ever_ catch you reading any notes in my class again, I will drag the _author_ in here by the ear and make _him_ read it to the class."

"You can't do that," Rose said in surprise. Snape leaned upon her desk, looking her straight in the eye while breaking into a grim smile.

"Try me," he said, before heading back to his desk to continue.

* * *

Corey Willowby was quite surprised to see Severus walk in during the evening rush. Having one of his clerks take over what he was doing, Corey came over to the edge of the counter as he walked up.

"Hi, Dad, are you out of something?" Corey asked.

"Time, apparently," Severus said, Corey frowning puzzledly. "You and I need to have a long talk."

"All right. What about?"

"Let's just say it's about a certain seventh year Herbology major who made the abhorrent mistake of reading the post during one of my lectures," Severus said. Corey stared at him. Severus met the gaze evenly.

"Please tell me you didn't make her read that in front of the class," Corey said at last.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, I'm not that insensitive. I read it myself," Severus said, and Corey groaned audibly. "Curiously enough, when I got to the byline I no longer felt like reading. Do you mind telling me then how long this situation has been spiraling out of control?"

"Perhaps we'd better go upstairs," Corey suggested, glancing around at the busy room.

"Perhaps that would be a good idea," Severus agreed dryly. Clearing his throat, Corey said something to one of his clerks before following Severus up to his rooms.

"First off, I am certain that it isn't as bad as whatever it is you're thinking," Corey said, going to the stove to put on the kettle.

"I assure you preconceived ideas are the farthest thing from my mind, except for the evidence at hand," Severus said.

"You have the letter with you?" Corey asked anxiously.

"No, I gave it back to her if you want to know," Severus said. Corey turned around and stared at him in utter shock.

"Professor Snape gave someone back their note?" Corey said incredulously.

"So I had a weak moment," Severus grumped. "After learning my eldest had his neck stretched out for the chopping block you could hardly blame me."

"We've only met once," Corey protested, pouring out tea. Severus sniffed it experimentally before sipping it. "And even then it wasn't our idea. It was an early Christmas present, actually."

"Alexandria," Severus said in realization, rolling his eyes. "I should have known. She cannot seem to stay out of anything."

"Runs in the family, I hear," Corey smirked, putting the kettle on the warmer and sitting down, grabbing a bun to nibble on. "She had us running a gambit around London, and me in costume. I don't know who was more surprised when we arrived, Rose or me. If I ever was tempted to throttle Alex, it happened in that moment."

"And then what happened once you got over your immediate reaction?"

"Well, nothing happened, happened," Corey said defensively.

"Corey, do give me a little credit. If anything had occurred to that extent, you would not have been signing the letter by your non-de-plume since she would have no doubt figured out who you were. No disguise would be able to get through _that_ without coming off."

"Well, actually, Toby once mentioned to me in passing about a polymorph potion he made that lasted over…"

"Kindly leave the old man out of this. You are masquerading as no one but yourself, and now are not only jeopardizing the respect of these Musketeers of yours but Rose's respect for you for leading her to believe you are something that you are not."

Corey got up and went over to the window.

"I never intended for things to go this far," Corey said. "I mean, well, it hasn't really gone anywhere, really, because except for that night I haven't seen her once, we've merely been sending letters."

"Letters which from the tone of this one must have become increasingly serious over the last month. Not to mention completely plagiaristic…"

"Dad, please."

"Fine, although after reading that I am very much in favor of having your poetic license revoked."

"Don't you have any mercy at all?" Corey chuckled at him in protest.

"Well, someone had to open your eyes," Severus said. "You may not have intended for things to get this far, but any sort of communication between two people directly affects their relationship. When you write these…things…do you realize just what message it is you are actually sending her?"

"I know, I know. But she is the one I've been waiting for," Corey said seriously, sitting back down.

"You couldn't have waited one more year?"

"I could have, yes, but I don't think she could have," Corey admitted.

"So instead of waiting for a time where you could approach her yourself, you decide to keep her preoccupied with this fantasy to insure that no one else would have a chance with her before you finally got around to pursuing something a bit more real… you know, a stable relationship based on mutual respect, honesty and trust…" Severus said.

"You're the one to talk about a relationship based on trust," Corey retorted.

"This is not about me," Severus quickly reminded him. Corey sighed. "This is about the fact that the further you take this relationship between Rose and your alter ego, the more distant any chance of ever having a meaningful one between her and you, Corey, becomes."

"And here I thought this conversation was about the fact that she's still in school," Corey said.

"That is why Professor Snape would be here, yes. She may technically be an adult, but she is quite immature for her age," Severus agreed.

"Yes, well, so was Mom when the two of you got married," Corey put in.

"Why do you think I wasn't going to bring it up?" Severus said in annoyance. Corey grinned at him. "Corey, you need to start thinking about what you intend to do to fix this. Certainly things cannot continue in this manner."

"I know," Corey admitted with a sigh. "But I have no idea how. And please don't ask me to tell her who I really am right now."

"No, I think at this point that would turn out to be nothing short of disastrous," Severus agreed. "If for no other reason than the fact that you do not believe yourself capable of impressing her on your own."

"That much is true," Corey admitted somberly. "And you're right. I was hoping this whole thing would make it easier to approach her, and instead it has done the opposite. When the rare occasion arises that she does come into the shop, I either freeze up completely or find myself an excuse to go into the backroom for something. And besides, if I start singling her out…"

"Someone might notice?" Severus finished, smiling thinly at him. "I think it's safe to say that someone has, now, wouldn't you?"

"Well, I don't know how her mother is going to feel, considering…"

"Oughtn't you be more concerned at this point about how Rose would feel about it?" Severus asked, drumming his fingers on the table. "She could turn you down and then it wouldn't matter all that much what her mother thought, would it?" Corey grew even more depressed.

"Dad, all I am to her is her best friend's brother and a shopkeeper in Hogsmeade…a competitor of her family business at that. Athos is everything that I'm not…"

"Corey, why is Athos here?" Severus sighed.

"Well, because Danny…"

"No, not what it was that brought him out. When you were young, you swore an oath never to use violence against another, and then turned around and broke it. You joined Harry's broom squad and made a stand and a choice in actions that Athos has been taking credit for ever since. Why does Athos exist?" Severus demanded. Corey averted his eyes, helplessly looking for something to look at other than into Severus' firm gaze.

"Because it is a way I can make a difference," Corey murmured. "It is a way for me not to sit and watch while the people I care about are injured through the inaction of those who are supposed to be responsible for protecting us. I could have helped them!" Corey snapped, getting up and pacing the floor. "If I had only been there, I could have saved them!"

"You couldn't have saved your brother and parents," Severus said quietly. "You were only eleven."

"Yes, but you know quite well that I already knew much more magic by then than most eleven year olds…"

"You couldn't have stopped it, Corey. If I had been there, I know I could not have," Severus murmured quietly.

"But maybe I could have at least gotten them out of there! Something! Anything! Anything besides being at school having a wonderful time, not knowing that at that moment the people who mattered most to me were being slaughtered by Voldemort. You talk about how I broke my oath to myself, but I certainly didn't do it because I wanted to. If it were up to me, I'd be nothing more than what I appear to be, a young but complacent alchemist with a modest shop and no other aspirations. I despise violence! I hate the need of it and I hate being the image of it, but I will not allow myself to be idle when someone else's life is in danger of being destroyed, not when it's in my power to stop it!"

"Now that is the Corey that I know," Severus said gently. "And that is the Corey that Rose must come to know if this relationship is going to mean anything…to you, or to her." Corey paused, taking a moment to breathe before finally turning back around to face him.

"You're right," Corey said, sitting down again. "In fact the only thing I like about being Athos is that part I share with Rose. But how can I turn that around, when she only sees the one side of me? How did you impress Mom?" Severus blinked at him.

"I was hardly trying. To be perfectly honest, in many ways I impressed her in spite of myself. But there was an obvious difference in that we were already working together on a daily basis, through necessity as much as anything else. The two of you could hardly even be called friends. By your own admission she knows nothing about you, and you have given her little reason to want to know anything about you," Severus pointed out. Corey grew thoughtful for a moment.

"Dad, if uh, if Alex was chaperoned by an adult while she was here, do you think you could possibly allow her to come back on the weekend trips?" Corey asked. Severus frowned at him knowingly.

"I hardly think I could allow her to go and not the boys. Who would I get to chaperone them?"

"Oh. Ah, well, I could send Doug an owl…"

"Do you really think Doug would be willing to go on such an outing and leave Essie alone?"

"Good point. Well then maybe Taylor…"

"Never mind," Severus sighed. "It'll cost me sleep, but I'll do it myself. But do me a favor? Tone down the letters from Athos?"

"Thanks, Dad. Somehow, I'll fix this," Corey said.

"Good, that is what I wanted to hear," Severus said, getting up. "I have enough to worry about without having to contend with your social life."

"There is one other thing I'd like to ask you about that as long as you're here, confidentially," Corey said.

"As far as I'm concerned, except for Jennifer whom I would not be able to hide this from if I wanted to, this entire conversation is confidential," Severus assured him.

"Say that somehow I do get this worked out," Corey said. "And Rose is willing… well, what I mean is, what with our age difference and all, but if we're both certain…"

"I take it you're attempting to ask me what I think about the two of you getting into a more permanent relationship after the two of you have come to equal terms," Severus said bluntly.

"Well, I suppose that's one way to put it, yeah," Corey admitted. "I mean, well what would you do?"

"What would I do?" Severus mused, then shrugged slightly. "Marry her as quickly as possible before she changes her mind, I suppose," he said but then paused at the stair. "But not until after she graduates," he added firmly. Corey smiled at the warning scowl on Severus' face and watched him head down the stairs before leaning against the wall and taking another long deep breath.


	28. The Preference of Unicorns

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The Preference of Unicorns

It was difficult to miss the change in Aurelius as they waited to enter the forest that night. There was a definite restlessness about him, a strange wildness that consumed him, making him pace at the edge of the trees as if itching to abandon them all and go in alone.

"This is so exciting," Halbert said, whispering so not to disturb the night around him.

"But so cold!" Alicia shivered.

"I'm quite sure we'll be heading out in a moment," Alex said, from where she stood watching Sagittari's hut. A few minutes later, Andrew and Sagittari himself emerged bearing lanterns and quite a few large potion wallets on straps.

"Here, have a canteen, it has cocoa in it if we get too cold," Andrew said, passing them out to the grateful group.

"I don't need one," Aurelius said, waving it off. "It'll only get in my way."

"I will carry his, Andrew," Sagittari said solemnly. "Does everyone have a light source and their wands accessible?"

"Won't we be safe once we enter the glen?" Alicia asked.

"First we have to get there," Alex reminded her.

"I can't believe our parents are actually letting us do this!" Halbert said, testing his canteen happily. "Thanks for asking Professor Snape about it, Aurelius."

"I would have still gone had he said no," Aurelius said evenly. The others looked at each other, wondering about his odd behavior.

"Come, now, children, it is pointless to stand here when we have a long walk ahead of us," Sagittari said. But he paused a moment longer to look up at the sky, reading the stars thoughtfully. "The moon will rise soon, and we will then have plenty of light to see by. Move quietly, for we do not want to disturb the forest with our presence."

Fortunately for everyone, Alex was much too excited to talk, content to walk next to Alicia behind Andrew and Halbert. Strangely enough, it was Aurelius who was leading the way, finding his path so silently that Andrew and Halbert soon found they had to pay complete attention to him to keep from losing him all together. Sagittari seemed quite content to take the rear, seemingly very calm. But Alexandria knew looks could be deceiving, for Sagittari had taken the precaution of strapping the Spear of Lugh across his human back.

"Not so fast," Andrew hissed at Aurelius. But Aurelius had glanced down at his wand, shimmering softly even though the moon had not yet risen, and pressed on ahead of the others.

"It is well. We are near now," Sagittari told them, stepping off the path across a brook. In the distance the shadow of a cabin could be seen as they passed into the brush, and soon came upon the glen. Everything was still. "This is the very spot that my people gather to attend the Constellation," he told them. "But on many nights such as these the Unicorns care to graze here."

"I don't see any of them," Halbert said, sounding disappointed.

"I don't see Aurelius," Andrew added worriedly. But Sagittari didn't seem worried. He was standing perfectly still, as if listening. A moment later, the others heard the sounds that Sagittari must have; the sounds of hooves and whinnies and neighs, becoming louder by the instant.

"Shouldn't the ground be shaking?" Halbert said in surprise, and Andrew realized it was true; not one resonance did he felt underneath him. But it was indeed getting louder, and just as the moon began to crest above the tree line around them they appeared.

At the very head of the thundering herd ran a stallion nearly two hands taller than the rest with a flowing silver mane and a perfect white coat. In the absence of scars, the others failed to recognize him at first, for only the jagged horn marred him. But there could not be any doubt at all it was Pali when it broke away from the pack, for Aurelius had already found his way onto his back.

"Look at him! Why, he's positively gorgeous!" Alex said excitedly. "No one can call him a brute now!"

Pali slowed as he came nearer, and then halted altogether as he surveyed those waiting at the edge.

"You may come closer," Aurelius said, his voice sounding strange. "But do not attempt to touch them unless they choose to come to you."

Halbert knew immediately that the warning was meant for him, although part of his heart ached to do just that. Instead he put a hand on Sagittari's side to steady himself, and again the centaur said nothing of it, carefully pacing himself so that the two of them fell behind the others.

"Oh look, look, there's Cody!" Alicia said excitedly when the stallion with the outrageously long mane in front of one eye stepped out of the pack. "And there's Esta! But where is Jule?" Alicia hadn't recognized her at first because she had finally reached her full size, but finally she saw a mare closing in with dazzling blue eyes.

"Do not leave the Glen," Sagittari warned them from where he and Halbert stood. Alex had been about to protest that Aurelius had already been in and out of the Glen, but then Esta had reached her and she forgot all about it as her hand met her soft white cheek.

Halbert watched the exchange wistfully, his hopes soon fading of any more breaking off from the herd as they walked together farther away to graze. Sagittari glanced down at him knowingly as he watched his friends patting and communing with them, although none of the other three attempted to ride them.

"They're absolutely beautiful," Halbert said. _"Tres tres beaux."_

"Yes," Sagittari said quietly. "But do not think too ill of them for not coming to us. They are wild creatures that are not meant to be contained. For those ridden and those who ride, many sacrifices must be made to allow it. Because of this, it only happens out of great need, and then only if there is a soul pure enough to keep from corrupting it."

"Yes, I have heard that, although… well, not meaning any disrespect to my friends, but why Aurelius? Was it merely because he happened to be in the forest at the right place at the right time? Or is there more to it than that?"

"There is more," Sagittari said quietly. He turned back to watching the Glen without another word, leaving Halbert to wonder what he was thinking as the two of them kept silent vigil until it was time to return.

* * *

"Come on, get up!" Stock said, pulling back the covers on Aurelius' bed. "No one said you had to stay up half the night with those nags. It's time for breakfast!"

"Must you call them that?" Aurelius said irritably as Stock blew out all of the candles he had left on the windowsill the night before.

"You had better get up. We have a test in Charms today. Don't forget Weasley said the highest score gets five points. That would be you, Tiebreaker," Stock said.

"Ugh, how I hate this constant pressure for more points!" Aurelius said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Speaking of which, Jocelyn was in the common room and she wanted to know if you have last weeks point total tallied for the individual years yet," Stock added.

"I'm getting it, I'm getting it," Aurelius yawned, jumping into his robes. But what he expected to already be a long day was about to get much longer.

After grabbing his Charms book and dropping off his papers with Xavier in the common room, the two of them headed through the secret passages to the Great Hall. As they came in the back, Aurelius immediately noticed the group gathered around Eigil look over in his direction, and Aurelius frowned, wondering what was up this time.

"Ah, here comes our little man now," Eigil said. Aurelius put his book on the table and gave him an icy stare. "I hear you vent out riding last night, is dis true?" he asked with a nasty smile. Aurelius glanced at Stock who shook he head than over to Hephaestus, who refused to look at him.

"So?" Aurelius said, sniggers breaking out around Eigil. "I had school and parent permission, as did the others that went along to do research on our reports for Magical Creatures."

"Und vas it part of your report to ride vun as vell?" he asked.

"Even if I did, I don't see how it's any concern of yours," Aurelius said evenly.

"It might be concern for your dorm mates, yes?" he said, inspiring a round of ooo's from around him.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Aurelius asked.

"Simply dat no man ever rode a Unicorn," Eigil said.

"Don't listen to him, Rel," Stock murmured from behind him, putting a hand on his arm. "He's not worth losing points over."

"Too true," Aurelius said at last, the two of them taking their seats and doing their best to ignore them.

"Is it just me, or are dose two a little close?" Eigil said loudly as Aurelius stabbed at his sausage. "Or perhaps he has eyes for our 'fearless' leader, now dat he is svorn off ladies. Dat vould explain all da boot licking, yes?"

"Maybe we should just head to Charms early, Rel," Stock said in a low voice.

"That would do nothing but make him think he's won," Aurelius whispered back. "Word will get back about this to Xavier and Jocelyn, I'm sure."

"Rel!" Aurelius looked up to see Andrew coming forward with a cheerful look on his face. "I've got some good news! Snape and Craw are going to let us start going back to Hogsmeade! We have to hang around them the whole time, but what's important is we get to go again, right?"

"Und vill you have to hold deir hands too?" Eigil asked, his friends sniggering again.

"Not likely," Andrew said unperturbed before turning back to his brother. "Of course we have to keep up our schoolwork and all that, but at least now we'll be able to see more of Corey and go to the Grove now and again."

"Ah yes, you ride a Unicorn too, don't you?" Eigil said with amusement.

"Andrew, ignore him," Aurelius warned him.

"As a matter of fact, I do ride one on occasion," Andrew answered unabashedly. Another ring of chuckles broke out.

"Tell me, Andrew, do you and your brother prefer men?" Eigil asked with a grin.

"Well, no we don't, but if we ever do decide to swing that way, I'm sure you'll be the first to know about it," Andrew said in such a casual tone that Eigil stared at him in shock.

"Vut?"

"Well, it's harder to find men taller than me, you know. Look, I'll even write you down in my book, just in case: Eigil Hauk, possible closet case…" Andrew scribbled.

"Vut! Vhy you little…"

"Oh, one of those, are we? Scratch that note then. Let me make that possible homophobic closet case…"

"How dare you!" Eigil said furiously, standing.

"Leave him alone, Hauk," Aurelius warned, standing up right after him despite Stock attempting to keep him from getting involved.

"You know we could use another short log on the fire. Think you could spare one?" Andrew said flippantly as if completely oblivious to the fact that Eigil was walking over towards him at a frightening pace. Frantically, Aurelius leapt over the breakfast table to get between them, finding Eigil soon towering over him. Students from the other tables attempted to peer around him, wondering what was going on this time.

"I said leave him alone! Get back to your seat, or I swear I'll tell Xavier you were trying to instigate fellow Slytherins!" Aurelius barked.

"Tell him all you like, you filthy Unicorn rider. You t'ink Xavier vill protect you because of your verk for him, but you are mistaken. You are an embarrassment to dis house und I am not the only one who t'inks so." Eigil snarled.

"Do you want to know who's a real embarrassment to your house, Eigil?" Andrew said. Since his brother had gotten in front of him like a shield, Andrew had been able to get out his wand, and as Eigil glanced over at him he found himself blinking from the flash of light in his face.

As Eigil was still trying to clear his vision, a roar of laughter rang out from across the Great Hall, and it was at that point he noticed that his robes felt very strange. His eyes cleared to see Aurelius quickly trying to back his brother off while he touched his chest, wondering what he was wearing. Realization finally set in and his hand felt behind him and he found himself dressed in a baby pink faerie outfit, complete with iridescent wings and a flowing silk tutu.

Furiously, Eigil began advancing, shouting in Norwegian as he went to his back pocket for his wand, Alex shouting out a warning.

"That's enough!" called out the unmistakable voice of the Headmaster, firm enough to even stop Eigil in his tracks.

"Mr. Hauk, what are you wearing?" Hermione Weasley asked from where she stood at Dumbledore's side.

"Why don't you ask that _schweinhund_ Snape hiding behind his turncoat brudder!" Eigil snarled.

"Professor, he just said…"

"Thank you, Alexandria, there's no need for translation. It was mostly English that time," Dumbledore said. "Mr. Hauk, would you please mind your language regardless of which language you choose to speak? Andrew Snape, is that a wand I see in your hand?"

"Yes, Professor," Andrew said, stepping out from behind Aurelius and glancing at him. "I was the one who dressed Hauk that way. Aurelius was merely attempting to prevent him from killing me by getting between us."

"So I see," Dumbledore mused. "Goodness, Andrew, this isn't like you at all! What ever did he do to provoke it?" Eigil stared at him in disbelief.

"He was attempting to use the argument of sexual preference as an insult. Honestly, Professor, he can insult me all he likes as long as he _really_ insults me, but people who think it's all right to turn a minority group into slander gets my goat up," Andrew said.

"Duly noted," Dumbledore said. "Professor Weasley, I daresay you'll want to have a few words with Andrew in your office about using a wand on another student?"

"Of course, Professor. Come along, Andrew," Hermione sighed, pointing him towards the door.

"Vait! Vut about my robes?" Eigil demanded.

"Ah, yes, Eigil, you're excused to change, of course. Nice transfiguration that, the boy definitely has promise," Dumbledore mused. "Oh, and might I suggest you be a bit more careful about your English wording, Eigil. I'm sure you probably didn't _mean_ any real harm, being that you are still learning the language, but I suggest for you own safety that you work on it. Have a good day," he added, leaving Eigil to fume. He turned to his table then, but quite a few of the students had quickly dispersed, including Aurelius Snape and George Stockton.

"That was brilliant, absolutely brilliant," Conner declared as he, Mandria, and Alex headed down the hall afterwards. "Even better, I thought I saw a flash from the Hufflepuff table, which meant Townsend probably got a great photo. I hope they put it on the front page of _the Veritable Wizard_. I don't care how many points that boy just lost us, your brother is an absolute hero."

"I wonder where Professor Snape was. I mean, usually he's right in the middle of things when that happens," Alex said.

"It's lucky for your brother that he wasn't," Conner said. "Hope he's going to be able to make Quidditch practice. Coming to watch too?"

"Actually, I'm thinking about doing some extra studying in the library," Alex said.

"Not for Singh again?" Mandria asked.

"No, believe it or not, I'm all caught up now. It's just that something's been nagging me for months now and I think Librarian Boulderdash is normally in his office this period," Alex said.

"Oh, no. That doesn't sound good," Mandria frowned at her.

"No, really, it's nothing. You guys have fun," Alex told them, waving them on.

Mandria glanced over her shoulder for a long time before turning around shaking her head.

"What?" Conner asked after watching her a moment.

"I don't know. Maybe it's the way she's been combing the papers the last few days, or maybe it's because her parents are finally relaxing their restrictions, but I have the sneaky suspicion that now that things are going Alex's way to some extent at school that she's about to meddle in something else."

Boulderdash frowned and squinted at Alex suspiciously.

"Heckletown? And just where did you hear about that place?" Boulderdash asked.

"I don't remember, I read something somewhere," Alex said, Boulderdash eyeing her dubiously. "It's a goblin town, isn't it? I can't seem to find it on any wizard maps."

"More than likely you won't find it on many goblin maps either," Boulderdash said with a wry, toothy grin that looked almost like a snarl if Alex didn't know him better. "Heckletown isn't its own town, it's a side-cavern of Myrkinbrek… it's like what you would call a borough. But it is not somewhere any respectable goblin would go if they could avoid it, and no wizard in their right mind would ever go there at all."

"So it's the dodgy side of Myrkinbrek, then?" Alex said thoughtfully.

"I suppose you could put it that way," Boulderdash said dryly, sorting through some books. "It is at least the poor side of town, and nearly all goblins in town who have ever spoken out against Gringotts live there as well. After all, it is hard to make a decent living when one goes against the bank."

"Did you ever live there?" Alex asked, then instantly regretted it when she saw the gaze he gave her. After a moment he smiled thinly.

"My father was a very successful businessman, Miss Snape. And yes, many of my kind look down on me not only for my choice of learning over money but also for taking this job. If truth be told, I stay with my brother when I am not here. But I would like to warn you, Miss Snape, not to go around any other goblin asking that question. Many will find it an insult as you can't even begin to imagine. Now if you don't mind, I have a lot of work to do," he said.

Alex nodded, looking through all her books thoughtfully as she began to wander back to her houserooms. Could there be a hard link between the attack on Xavier and her that day and Lost Empire Excavations? It would explain why they would need the translation, she thought. But then who was the man that was helping them?


	29. Hearing Distance

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Hearing Distance

After a long Saturday in the lab, Jennifer had come out of the bathroom after a soak to notice that the door to Severus' sitting room had been chained and padlocked shut. Looking at it thoughtfully, Jennifer went into her own sitting room to see Severus standing in front of the mirror attempting to remove what looked like clay off his face.

"Oh, you're back, I see. What are you doing in the other room?"

"Trying to get caught up on some sleep," Severus said casually, rubbing vigorously with a dry rag.

"You know, it wasn't so long ago when you abhorred time manipulation as much as I do. Especially after what Ciardoth tried to do," Jennifer said with a frown, tying her robe and going to get the evening tray.

"You can blame Amadeus for changing my mind. Attempting to conduct the temporary duties of co-Headmaster along with trying to find you and make sure you were all right in New York was no picnic. But anyway, I only use it when I have to and I assure you I take every precaution," he said. Jennifer walked over to put the tray on the table only to find it covered with a map, sitting it down on the edge of the end table instead.

"What is all this?" Jennifer asked curiously, looking at the top of a mountain range.

"Maps to our claim. The other one outlined in quill just north of ours belongs to Lost Empire," Severus said, finally coming away from the mirror to get a drink and sit down. "During that last hunt in Jerusalem, I decided to take time to visit Solomon's Temple to study some of the markings of the time to see if there were any clues to break the mine code."

"You mean like the Aramic on the map?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes…the letters seemed to match those written at the time, but didn't seem to make sense…I believe it is one of those cases where some obscure tribal language was directly printed using Aramic letters, but what that language might have been, we have no idea."

"You mean like how sometimes the oriental counsels use the English alphabet in periodicals because there are those who can speak their language but not write it," Jennifer said.

"Correct, although it's possible that this small tribe never had a written language at all. In most cases, I would guess it would have been translated and put into hieroglyphics. In this case, the mine was obviously part of a private holding…this tribe may have been locals who worked in the mine and were taught some basic letters so that they could navigate. Anyhow, while I was there at the Temple, I happened upon a couple of interesting runes that seemed somewhat familiar to me and wrote them down. I am glad I did, because I was able to match those runes with some we discovered south of the port of Halaib... one of the sights where a port once existed."

"So that's the port Solomon had made to link to Ophir?"

"I don't see how it can be anywhere else. Too much farther south gets it too far out of the southern boundary of the Egyptian Empire at that time, and north of there has various peninsula islands… rather shallow for a boat that would be heavily weighed with gold, even assuming they were working with crude charms along with base technology available."

"This claim area, though, is massive. Surely you don't think the mine takes up all this."

"Actually, we paid for the claim area before we were certain of a port. We knew it had to be between Halaib and Dungunab from research that Heather and I compiled. Scur was worried about how many claims Lost Empire had next to ours, certain they were after the same thing, so suggested to encompass the majority of the possible area. Of course that means we're liable for any other magic items within that area that one might accidentally dig up. In fact, Fist and Brogan are working on such an area now in a small abandoned village along our sound border. But Scur was undoubtedly right, for just days after we made our claim, Lost Empire claimed all the area north of our claim border to the no-claim zone around the Halaib triangle and are doing extensive tunneling in that area."

"So they're probably hoping to break into one of the northern chambers of the mine," Jennifer murmured.

"Yes, and if they cross claim lines probably plan to say it was an accident. Heather has stated it's a rather typical goblin excavation ploy; it ends up being solved by the goblins offering to purchase that part of the competitor's claim," Severus said.

"For some reason, I hardly think Father would be willing to sell the claim," Jennifer said.

"Sometimes it's legally fought, but that often proves difficult. The teams may move in, grab what they like and get off the claim, and if anyone protests or accuses them of stealing, they merely sign statements that say they got whatever it was from some other location. And in countries such as these where claims are not regulated, it makes it all the more difficult to fight it."

"Well, yes, in the country," Jennifer said. "But since both Father's company and Lost Empire is based out of Great Britain, couldn't you just lodge a complaint for bad business practices here?" Severus grew thoughtful.

"I suppose with the right documentation, although I have no idea about the legalities of that. Business law is hardly my field. And most of our team is made up of men who've spent their entire lives avoiding it, and Audi and Moody are too busy still attempting to uncover which one might have murdered Brad," he said, then sighed, pacing the floor. "But none of that makes any sense. We know Scur was there. But Scur was there after the fact. We know from Audi that he wasn't the murderer, although I wouldn't put it past him to have been there to attempt to do just that if he hadn't already been dead. Then there's the Red Fist, too mental to get a good truth reading on, and one of the vilest men I have ever met…extorting Muggles for all they've got and killing them if they protest. But there can be little doubt that he prefers weaker prey, and he also prefers more violent methods than mere poison. I would not put it past him to have been there; I merely question that he would use such a method to reach his ends.

"Brogan does not seem to be connected to any of this except for the fact that he was involved in the original excavation and is a member of an old dark family. In many respects, he's the most honest of the three, although he does have a temper to contend with. Be that as it may, even without the consideration that Audi says he didn't do it, he hadn't had any contact with Brad, no motive that I can find, had one rather questionable alibi but an alibi nonetheless, and if he were ever to commit any sort of crime I have the feeling it would be aimed at the Red Fist. Then there's the question of the goblin knife… we know there's more than one goblin involved because of the attack on Xavier and Alex, and from what I have observed in Lost Empires, I am quite certain they had something to do with it. But is one of them Naresh's son? And even so, we know for a fact that someone was attempting to implicate him in this murder… of course, that also means that the person with the knife must have had a fairly good idea who had killed him," Severus concluded, pacing even faster.

"Severus, you realize, of course, that you just eliminated every suspect we know might have been involved," Jennifer said.

"Yes, I know," Severus snapped then stopped in his tracks in frustration. "Where is my violin? Damn it all, it's in there with my sleeping self if it's anywhere! What could have I been thinking?"

"Severus, I can see it from here. You put it on my desk," Jennifer said, shaking her head. Severus turned around to look at it.

"So I did! How considerate of me. I need to unwind," Severus said, reaching for it.

"You do that. I'm going to bed," Jennifer declared, shaking her head. "And by the way, I did Rose's detention like you asked, although I swear we made enough Witchlock Paper to last us an entire year. Of course, she got the hint immediately."

"Good. You didn't tell her whose idea it was, I hope," Severus said, wiping off the instrument distractedly.

"No, of course not, I took full credit for it," Jennifer said. "We can't have you ruining your image, can we?" she added mischievously as his bow took to the string. "Or anyone else's image that seems to inhabit your body at any given moment," she murmured amusedly to herself before heading into the bedroom.

* * *

The warm spring thaw that March made for perfect weather for Hogsmeade… at least in Alex's opinion. True, the ground was still soft and soggy, but the sunshine felt quite warm, and if one but avoided the shadows one could easily walk around town without a cloak on. Corey was waiting for Alex and Rose near where the bus let them off, and immediately Alex dragged her through the crowd over to him.

"Here we are!" Alex declared unnecessarily. "Thanks for offering to take us around today!"

"Yes, I agree, I know the store must be busy when the school's in town," Rose added.

"No trouble at all, Rose," Corey assured her. "I took care of all my orders last night, so my clerks should have no trouble keeping up. So, where do you want to go? Zonkos? Honeydukes?"

"How about the Divine Vision?" Alex suggested. "That place is usually empty at first."

"That's because people only pick up odds and ends there when they've already wasted most of their money," Rose teased. "You know they mostly never have anything good in there."

"I have to agree with Rose on that one. Even Essie hardly goes in there anymore," Corey chuckled.

"Essie?" Rose asked curiously.

"My other sister, Essie Brim."

"Oh, of course, I remember now! She's does the weather for the paper!" Rose said brightly. "Grandfather has often commented about how she's the most accurate forecaster he's seen in a long time."

"Best of all she gets to stay home and put her feet up while doing it. She's due at the end of the month."

"You remember, she came to the Halloween party," Alex said.

"I do now. She sat with near Professor Craw most the night."

"That was her," Corey nodded with a grin. "Mom has been fussing over her nearly as much as Doug has. But I don't think she minds it. Since my Aunt died, she's been the closest thing to a mother figure that she's had." Rose grew quiet then, unsure if questioning further would be prying too much. But as it happened, they had reached the store and Alex's tongue had taken over, and soon she was pulling them over to the crystal counter.

"Do you have any of these?" Alex asked her. "The different angled cuts of each of these crystals work like charms. You can wear them on a necklace or bracelet. Look, here's one to help you remember things. This one is supposed to make you think more clearly. What about this one, Rose? It's supposed to help one boost your confidence when dealing with the opposite sex."

"I hardly need that," Rose blushed, shaking her head at her friend.

"Oh, look, here's a good one. Stimulates your ability to speak with a silver tongue. Works like the Blarney Stone! What do you think, Corey?"

"I think that's one you definitely don't need," Corey said dryly.

"Well, it couldn't hurt you, could it?" Alex said, and Corey gave her a warning look. But then a man in gypsy clothes came over, and Corey stopped to have a little chat with Oman about business. In the meantime, Rose came up to Alex and pinched her hard.

"Just what are you up to, Alex?"

"What? Just shopping, why?"

"Because you act like you're up to something," Rose said, ignoring the innocent look on her face. "Whatever it is, cut it out."

"I think I'm going to get this one," Alex decided at last. "It's supposed to help with decisiveness. Maybe I can figure out what I'm going to say during the interview next week."

"You still haven't figured that out yet?" Corey sighed as she stepped up to pay.

"It's not that easy! So much of my life, well, isn't based around academics!" Alex protested. Corey chuckled at that.

"I suppose I could have said the same thing myself. But I'll give you the same advice that Minerva McGonagall gave to me. Play your strengths," Corey said as they left the shop.

"Oh, I totally agree," Rose said. "People usually enjoy what they're good at, don't they?"

"Or are they good at it because they enjoy it?" Corey winked.

"The only class I've ever been at the top of has been Muggle Studies," Alex sighed.

"Well, you could always teach it somewhere, I suppose," Rose said and Alex immediately recoiled.

"No teaching! Please, anything but that!" Alex protested. Corey laughed again.

"Well, how about journalism? You definitely have a talent with finding out things," Corey suggested. Alex wrinkled her nose.

"Yes, but that also would mean reporting something without her getting personally involved," Rose said dryly.

"How true that is. Alex, you are a professional meddler!"

"There's no such thing," Alex said as the other two burst into laughter. "I checked," she added, causing them both to laugh even harder.

"Well how about being an Auror?" Rose suggested.

"Too many rules," Alex said.

"How about just working your way up in a regular business?"

"Too boring!" Alex said. "It has to be something meaningful."

"Well, why don't we hit the sports shop while we're here, then we can go put our heads together at the Three Brooms to try to come up with something," Rose said.

But what was supposed to be a quick look at the new brooms in stock turned into an expedition as Alex had decided to inspect nearly every new piece of equipment that they head, including the Winged Horse Polo section.

"Do you suppose Mum and Father would let me train Pepper to play?"

"No," Corey said impatiently. He and Rose had been waiting for her near the door for some time by then. "You know very well they wouldn't. So put that helmet down, and let's go. We've been in here so long that the pub is sure to be completely packed by now."

"Oh, I suppose you have a point," Alex giggled, glancing at the clock. "Very well! Let's be off then!" she said cheerfully, heading out the door. Corey and Rose exchanged a suspicious look before following behind her. As predicted, the Three Brooms was packed, and Corey was quite convinced that there was no way they were going to find a seat until after lunch.

"Why don't we hit the deli? It's a nice enough day, and I'm sure there will be an outside table open," he suggested.

"Oh but we haven't really looked yet!" Alex said quickly. "Let me ask Rosmerta!"

Rosmerta, as it so happened, was not so far away, and she smiled mysteriously at the girl when Alex walked over to her, gesturing for Corey and Rose to come nearer.

"As a matter of fact, I do have a table free, over there near the bar, but there wouldn't be room for more than two people," she said.

"Oh, that's quite all right!" Alex said. "I see there's a bar seat nearby too, and I love sitting at the bar where all the action is! Corey, Rose, you both take the table. Three butterbeers, Rosmerta! No, don't bother, my treat!" Alex added in such a flurry that before Corey and Rose knew it they had been shown to the table, while Alex was comfortably seated at the bar.

"I don't know how she arranged that," Corey said as they took their seats, "But I somehow get the feeling that it was definitely arranged."

"I don't know what has come over her!" Rose said irritably. "It's almost as if she was attempting to fix us up, when she knows I'm already involved."

"Oh? Did she fix you up with him as well?" Corey asked.

"As a matter of fact," Rose admitted, and the two of them chuckled about that as their drinks arrived.

"So tell me about him," Corey said casually, nodding thanks to Rosmerta. Rosmerta smiled at him and swung around to where Alex was sitting to deliver her butterbeer.

"Keep the change, and thanks for everything, Rosmerta," Alex murmured to her.

"Anything to help out the local alchemist," Rosmerta winked. "This is going to help him right?"

"He'll be thanking us later," Alex assured her. Stealthily she got out her potion wallet and took one out, slipping it into her own drink before taking a sip.

What she hadn't noticed was that back at the professors' table, Jennifer was having tea with Hermione while her brothers sat at a table nearby with Stock and Halbert, wolfing down a large plate of meat rolls. And at the very end of the table sat Snape, who couldn't help but take extreme interest at what his daughter had just done, glancing between her, Corey and Rose thoughtfully.

Alex concentrated on focusing out the loud noises in her ears and onto Rose's voice until finally she heard the conversation between them nearly as plain as if she had been sitting there.

"Well, it sounds like he really likes you," Corey said.

"Do you think so? I hope so," Rose admitted. "Although I wish I knew more about him than I do."

"Well that's part of the fun of being in a relationship isn't it, always having things to find out about?" Corey chuckled.

"Well, I suppose, but I doubt most other people have quite the same problem I do. You see, I don't even really know his real name."

"That sounds rather strange," Corey agreed.

"What's worse is that I'm not even sure why he won't tell me," Rose admitted, sounding slightly depressed. "I suppose I haven't earned his trust yet."

"I'm sure that isn't it," Corey said quickly, then paused a moment. "I mean, you seem like a pretty trustworthy person to me. Perhaps he's just, well, unsure of himself."

"Unsure of himself?" Rose chuckled. "Trust me, Corey, if you knew who I was talking about, you would know that can't be it."

"Well, perhaps you should tell me who we're talking about then so I can decide for myself," Corey suggested.

Just then there was a very loud growling sound in Alex's ear that made her nearly leap off the stool in surprise. As her heart began thumping in her ears she quickly realized it had been someone clearing his throat intentionally close to that ear. She turned and giggled nervously when she saw her father sitting beside her.

"Got your hands on an eavesdropping potion, I see," Severus said. Even though he spoke in a low voice, Alex winced in pain. "Having fun? Can you hear me or do I need to speak louder?"

"No, please don't," Alex said, grimacing. "Okay, I admit it. But I was only trying to help."

"I may be willing to believe that your obviously planned stunt with Rosmerta was an attempt to help," Severus said softly, putting his hand into his cloak and pulling out a phial. "But your eavesdropping is hardly in your friend's best interest, is it?"

"No, sir," Alex said, taking the phial and drinking it.

"Now, if I may offer you some bit of advice, perhaps its time that the both of us tried butting out. For I assure you if I do catch you 'butting in' I will do some 'butting in' of my own. Oh, and one other thing, if I do ever catch you using one of those potions again, it'll be Professor Snape you'll be dealing with and not your father, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Alex said sheepishly, and Severus nodded at her, getting up. It was then that he noticed a familiar worried face in the doorway. Immediately Severus grew grave as well as he went over to meet Harry. Curiosity got the best of her as Severus pulled him to the back and Alex downed the rest of her butterbeer.

"Alex? Where are you going?" Corey's voice seemed to be shouting in her ear.

"Just to the bathroom, I'll be right back," she told them, hurrying to the back. Corey shook his head and turned back to Rose. Apparently the conversation had somehow gotten upon the subject of his aunt. Despite her curiosity in the change of topic, Alex had bigger prey this time. True to her word she headed to the bathroom, but then took great pains to make sure all the water was as tightly off as she could get it and made sure the toilet wasn't running.

"I know you did, Severus, but I thought this time you had better know what's going on before you get down there," Harry said. "Earsinge was back again. He seems to have found Ophir, or at least a town directly connected to it and the mines."

"Where was it?" Severus asked, looking around suspiciously. He touched the chain around his neck before realizing it was the Time-Turner he was wearing. "And keep your voice down, please."

"North of Oyo by the border… you know, near all those caldera lakes on the east side," Harry said. "They're still digging, but Napescar seems to think they date back to the right time period. But that's not the half of it. They located what looked like a stone coffer with Aramic runes on it," Harry said.

"Really? Well, that is interesting…"

"Not as interesting as what happened next. When Napescar brought the coffer to Earsinge, he took out a notebook and was using it to match the series of letters with ones he had written down in it. The goblins have found a way to break the code."

"How?" Severus murmured. "What could he have found? It was based on a verbal language dead for thousands of years… he must have gotten his hands on more documents or something…"

"If that's true and he did have more documents, I think we both know where he got it from," Harry said.

"Kanak Naresh," Severus mused.

"It would explain everything, wouldn't it? It would explain why their down there, how he knows so much, even how he knew where to dig."

"Yes, it would, but right now we're working on what appears to be circumstantial evidence," Severus pointed out. "And nothing we have so far indicates that Earsinge is guilty…even if he does turn out to be Naresh's adopted son."

"Oh, really, Severus?" Harry said. "Have you noticed that Napescar never takes off his gloves?"

"I need to get back down there," Severus said after a long pause. "Do me a favor and keep an eye on things up here for me today."

"Good, I need a serious break away from dear ol' Grimpenmire. I'm starting to get chronic back pain," Harry complained.

"Oh. Here," Severus said, pulling out a potion and handing it to him as he walked back towards the front again.

"Gee thanks, Doctor," Harry said sarcastically, following him out.

As Severus and Harry went over to talk to Jennifer, Alex slipped back out the door, hurrying back to her barstool to find it had been taken. Rose had caught her eye then, looking at her curiously, and Alex walked over to them.

"You know, it's really loud in here. I don't suppose you're about ready?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Sure, we've been waiting on you, slow poke," Corey said, getting up. "And no going off like that for so long again. I'm supposed to be watching you."

"Sorry, I'll be more careful," Alex said.

"Why are you talking so softly?" Rose asked curiously.

"Oh, ah, headache," Alex explained. "So where to next?"

"Let's go to Honeydukes!" Rose suggested, and the three of them headed in that direction. But when Alex saw the packed store, she couldn't help but moan softly for her ear's sake. Little did she know that it was going to be nearly an hour before the potion finally wore off.


	30. Goblin Camp

Chapter Thirty

Goblin Camp

Alex would have liked to have had a good night's sleep before meeting with her other siblings that Sunday morning in the sparring room, but that was not to be. Ever since Zacchius had refused to have anything to do with the overly playful poltergeist, Peeves had not been the same. He had taken to sulking in the day in abandoned classrooms and unused storage closets, while at night he roamed the halls, crying pitiably. It was that night in which he first decided that the halls were much too lonely, and since Ravenclaw was the closest dorm to where he realized this, they were the first ones to notice. After attempting to shut the loud crying out with blankets and pillows over their heads, most of them gave up and came down to the common room, and despite the general dislike for Peeves within the house, they couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the sorrowful spirit.

"Here, look, Peeves! A bowl of grapes! Wouldn't you like to throw it or something?" Mandria said.

"And here's a full water pitcher! I sure hope nobody drops it over someone else's head!" Alex said. Her housemates turned and gave her a dirty look.

"Let's not overdo it," Mandria said.

"Well, we can't possibly stand here all night, I have a paper to write tomorrow," Bill Browning complained. "Peeves, no offense, but can't you go cry somewhere else?"

"I say we bottle him," Mandria said.

"We can't bottle him just because he's depressed!" Alex protested. "Dumbledore definitely wouldn't approve."

"Well, we also can't have him in here wailing. We need rest," Bill sighed.

"Good evening all!" The students looked over as Icarus Ravenclaw floated down through the ceiling. "Whatever are you all doing out of bed?" He asked, but then Peeves broke into another round of whimpering. "Oh, I see! Well, don't worry. I happen to be an expert at melancholy ghosts, being one myself. You go to bed, I will handle this."

"Thank goodness," Mandria said, but Alex frowned unsurely. Peeves had invaded Divination on occasion and had treated Ick as he would any normal mortal human. But he was a professor, so maybe he could at least get him away so that they could get some sleep.

Even still, the interruption had taken its toll, and Alex entered that morning not feeling at all like exercising. Apparently she wasn't the only one, for Aurelius was lying on one of the benches, snoring loudly. Andrew and Alicia, who were at least attempting to do forms, kept breaking out into giggles any time the snoring got loud, completely throwing their timing off to un-Snapish proportions.

"Don't tell me Peeves invaded your house rooms too?" Alex said, setting down her jacket and a small backpack.

"I think he's just tired. He had a ton of stuff to pick up for Xavier from Hogsmeade yesterday, and I gather he stayed up late putting a bunch of supplies for his house away."

"His house carries supplies from Hogsmeade?" Alex frowned. "Like what?"

"I don't know exactly, but we did spend an awful lot of time in Zonko's and Honeydukes," Andrew said.

"Don't tell her that!" Aurelius snapped, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "She'll be blabbing it all over the school!"

"I won't if you ask me not to and you have a good reason why I shouldn't," Alex said indignantly.

"Fine. Would you please not mention it, because I'm quite likely to get into a lot of trouble if you do," Aurelius said grumpily.

"Fine then," Alex said. "So are we going to do forms or not?" Aurelius groaned. "Because if not, I have something important to tell you all about."

"What? Did you finally figure out what you were going to do with your life?" Aurelius yawned.

"Huh? Oh, that, no, I don't know, but it's not important right now," Alex said, waving it off. The other three stared at her. "No, this is about Lost Empire Excavation Company of Heckletown. Heckletown, you may be curious to know, is actually a slum in Myrkinbrek, and Lost Empire is apparently being run by none other than Naresh's adopted son."

"Wait, that would mean the goblin company is run by a wizard, then," Alicia said, sitting on the floor by Aurelius.

"Not at all, because you see, Naresh's adopted son is a goblin," Alex explained.

"A goblin?" Andrew blinked.

"A goblin?" Aurelius stared at her. "Are you taking illegal potions or something? What wizard in their right mind would adopt a goblin? Where did you get this information anyhow?"

"Well, for completely personal reasons I just so happened to have 'borrowed' an eavesdrop potion from Mum's office," Alex said.

"It's amazing you didn't get caught then," Andrew said.

"Actually, I did get caught, that's why father came to the bar to talk to me yesterday, and he made me take an antidote for it. But then Harry Potter came in and I think he forgot that I still had half a mug of butterbeer full of it, so I decided to take a chance and finish it off."

"If Father had caught you spying on him, you would be the one who would have been finished off," Aurelius chided her. "I wonder why he didn't have his snoop chain on?"

"I don't know, but it's not important now," Alex said.

"You keep saying that," Alicia said impatiently. "What else did you find out?"

"Well, the goblin's name is Earsinge, and apparently he and that Foreman Napescar that tried to throttle Andrew here found Ophir."

"Ophir?" Andrew asked.

"Yes," Alex said, opening her pack and taking out a library book. "It's a lost city of the ancient Egyptian Empire said to be the home of the mines of Solomon. Even worse, they found a way to translate the texts they need to find the mine itself. Don't you see? They're going to find it before Grandfather does! The bad guys are going to win!"

"Alex, would you please calm down?" Aurelius snapped. "At least let me wake up so I can think. First off, let's hold off on labeling him a bad guy for the moment. If this goblin is Naresh's son, he probably thinks he has a legitimate claim to part of the mine."

"And just who do you think might have been able to sneak into Gringotts but another goblin? And who is leaving all these daggers about? And who do you think sent those goblins after me and Xavier?"

"And who do I think is jumping to conclusions?" Aurelius said. "Sit down, Alex."

"I don't suppose you brought any food in that bag," Andrew said. Alicia rolled her eyes.

"Only juice and stuff since we were supposed to be doing forms, but have at it," Alex said, handing them each a bottle.

"Okay," Aurelius said after he had downed his juice and everyone else had gotten settled. "I admit you may have a point about that Gringotts thing, Alex. It'd have been much easier for a goblin to get in and out of there than a wizard. I don't know what the deal is with the daggers yet, except maybe they're being used as a calling card of some sort, marked or not. But the thing about that Hogsmeade attack is that whoever did it must have had no idea at the time what those letters meant. Why else go to all that trouble of kidnapping you to do it?"

"They could have been testing to see if she could do it?" Andrew suggested.

"Possibly. There does seem to be a whole lot of testing going on. In fact, I'm not so sure that the vault incident was meant to be anything more than a test," Aurelius said.

"A test? A test for what?"

"I can think of a lot of things; to see how we react, to see if Grandfather would risk casting a spell to get us out, or even one of us. Or he could have been testing the bank to see how long it'd take them to notice someone was missing, how much time their security would take. It could have even been a test on the Ministry to see how quickly they'd put Grandfather in jail if he was around suspicious activity. If it was an attempt to frame Grandfather, though, why close the vault door? And why dispose of the body at the Platt's house? But you know, I really hope I'm wrong about it all."

"Why? I mean, it's a long shot, but it sounds plausible to me," Andrew said.

"Because if it was a test, they would have been watching us very carefully. They would have known we got out, and they would have known it wouldn't have been by any conventional means," Aurelius said, glancing at Alicia. Alicia looked uncomfortable. "And I don't think it's such a long shot. If you were going to attempt a huge plot, you would certainly not want anything to go wrong with it. What does Father do when he goes into any situation? He tries to prepare for every possibility. If he had little foreknowledge of people connected with Grandfather, he would want to gather it as quickly as possible. You don't play chess without knowing what the pieces do. You can't prepare for every possibility unless you know your enemy."

"That's a pretty scary thought, Rel. You're making it out like we're facing someone who thinks like Father," Alex said. "Are you sure you're not exaggerating the danger a bit?"

"All the same," Andrew put in, "what if he's right? I mean, it's better to overestimate an opponent than underestimate him, Alex."

"True," Alex agreed, leaning back. "All right, so what if it's all a test like you said then?"

"Then I have a question," Aurelius said. "At the time Alex was tested, was it merely to confirm that Grandfather's team had a way of dealing with this problem, or was it to use her themselves?"

"Seems rather overkill to me for them to go to that much trouble to test Alex just to confirm her talent," Andrew said. "If they already had the means to break the code, why would they care? They even had all the clues, why would they be so far behind?"

"Exactly," Aurelius said. "You would think if they had the key, they'd have been a lot farther ahead. When we were down at the site, it sounded as if they were just one step in front or behind us, not something you'd expect if they had so much more information than us. But then, why didn't they ever try to get at her again? Why spend what must have been hours looking over old documents when they had the means to do it easily?"

"I'm so confused," Alicia said.

"You're not the only one," Alex assured her. "Perhaps the riddle had just enough words in it to get them going. They wouldn't need me after that."

"From what Father was saying at the site that day it sounded a lot more complex than that," Aurelius mused. "I can't believe two rune experts like Father and Rinan Scur wouldn't have figured it out by now if it had been easy."

"Well, yes, but the goblins have the documents to work off of too," Alex pointed out, and then glanced at Andrew. "Perhaps it's time for a little reconnaissance?"

"Please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking," Andrew said.

"Well, you do want to help Grandfather, don't you?" Alex said.

"Yes, but…. Halbert and I were going to start working out what we were going to do for the talent show this afternoon! And…besides, Alicia and Aurelius have a game today!"

"Well, it's not like it'll last long," Alicia shrugged. Aurelius gave her a dirty look.

"Besides, don't you think it'd look awfully bad if stolen documents showed up in Grandfather's camp?" Andrew put in.

"Well, who says you have to steal them? Just copy them," Alex said. Andrew looked pleadingly towards Aurelius, but Aurelius merely looked thoughtful.

"I'm not going," Andrew said. Alex sighed. "Father will surely look at his watch, and then we'll all be dead."

"Father isn't even here today. He's down at the site, and I dare think he's going to be too busy working to notice us," Aurelius mused.

"Yes, but Mum will, she's always here."

"Don't worry about that. I can ask Dodger to snitch her watch from her," Alex said. The other three stared at her. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time. How else did you think I was getting the potions out of her office and everything?"

"Are you trying to tell us that you turned Dodger into a pickpocket?" Aurelius asked bluntly.

"It's poetic injustice, that's what it is," Andrew commented amusedly.

"So you'll do it?" Alex asked. Andrew looked at Alicia. Alicia shrugged.

"I'm game if you are," Alicia said.

"Fine," Andrew sighed. "But fair warning. One of these days, I'm going to say no and mean it."

Unfortunately for all of them, the game took a bit longer than expected. A miserably cold drizzle began in the late afternoon, making for very soggy game. Even though the uniforms had been water proofed, the dampness seeped in from the legs and wrists, and Alicia's hands grew numb fairly quickly. Even more annoyingly, it seemed like Aurelius was still trying his best to thwart her despite the fact that he knew they were hoping for a quick game. Worse, because of the cold he almost had her as they raced side to side, his outstretch arm inching out enough that he flicked one of the wings, sending it flying on a zigzag course. That was Alicia's chance, for Aurelius' reflexes although much improved were still no match for hers on a broom. Diving under his broom so close that from the stands it looked as if she might have brushed the bottom of it with her hair, she made for the catch, and once again the Hufflepuffs were cheering her name.

"You could have lightened up a little," Alicia complained when they landed.

"I only play to win," Aurelius said, and Alicia stuck her tongue out at him. By then her fellow team had ran down to greet her, and the two didn't meet up again until they had dried off and gathered back together again behind the one-eyed witch.

"Are you sure you remember Napescar enough to draw him?" Aurelius asked her.

"I think so," Alicia said. "Hopefully there will be pictures of some sort nearby."

"Alex, did you get the watch?" Aurelius asked, and Alex grinned, showing it to them. "Here, you'd better give it to me, I'll monitor. Since you're the Ravenclaw, you get to play like the innocent guard. Go to the library and grab some books on career studies. If Mum comes by looking for us, you're to tell her we went to our houserooms. She's not likely to check on us there if we don't do anything to arouse suspicion. When we're done, I will plant her watch in Father's study since it's quite likely she might have left it there and it'd explain why she can't find it, then we'll go to our house rooms. Tomorrow morning, I'll brief you."

"I was the one that wanted to do this and now I'm the last to know?" Alex frown disappointed.

"Do you want us to do this or not?" Aurelius asked. "Besides, if anything goes wrong, I guarantee you'll be one of the first to know."

"All right," Alex said with a nod, "Good luck to you."

"Good luck to you," Andrew said with amusement. "If we're lucky, maybe you'll actually see something worth telling Mum about in your interview at the same time."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be much too nervous to concentrate," Alex admitted, "But I will make a good show of it."

"Let's go before it gets too late," Alicia advised, and Andrew and she headed down the path.

The Foreman Napescar was sitting at a rickety desk with a strange instrument filled with pegs and wheels at his side and a large map in front of him. Andrew blinked at it in surprise, for as he crept over to study it, the paper seemed to rise to different heights, and he soon realized he was looking at a the map of a mountain range. Many marks were made upon it, most of them numerical with notations of initials beside them that he wasn't quite sure the meaning of. Napescar touched several pegs again and the wheels swung, then he wrote down another number.

A bright flash went off just outside the tent, and Andrew edged back nervously as the flap was tossed up and a goblin not so nearly gnarled at Napescar and a fine dark red suit entered. His tuft of hair was combed strangely neat for a goblin, and heavily scuffed grey pin was upon his chest, announcing his station above the Foreman himself.

"Any estimates yet?" Earsinge asked, walking over to the desk.

"If it is where you think it is, two or three weeks, if we keep up the pace," Napescar said.

"Two or three weeks?" Earsinge snarled.

"This is not some soft calcite deposit we're digging through, Earsinge, we're talking of mostly volcanic rock. Unless you can do more in the way of those weak charms of yours, it's not going to get any faster."

"Can't you get any more work out of them?"

"Perhaps, if we offered them more money," Napescar mused.

"You know as well as I do that I'm giving them my entire earnings already," Earsinge said in annoyance.

"Well, you could always raise their percentage a bit," Napescar suggested, rubbing his chin.

"They have never asked for so much before. And neither have you," Earsinge snarled.

"Well, if we succeed, some of us may not want to go home, and a nest egg will come in handy settling elsewhere. That is, if this claim is going to be as much as you say, which I highly doubt," Napescar said.

"Then why are you staying with it?"

"For the same reason you are, Earsinge, for the same reason you are," Napescar said, pushing around some more pegs.

Earsinge frowned at him as if he were going to say something else, but instead turned and slipped out the flap. Quickly Andrew followed, catching the flap as it began to fall, hoping no one noticed the strange behavior of the cloth as he slipped out. But he immediately regretted coming out. A heavy layer of night bugs was beating against the soft glow of the tents, and it was all Andrew could do to clamp his mouth shut and follow the goblin. Another flash blinded Andrew's eyes as Earsinge entered another tent. Andrew quickly recovered and hurried forward, finding curiously that the bugs near the door didn't seem to be moving at all, stunned by the strange light. Because of it, Andrew was able to slip in without any additional visitors, looking around the room.

The room was quite bare except for a desk, a bunk, and a small table with a box on it that contained a toiletry kit with a mirror, several types of brushes and gels, shaving knife, and a tiny magical faucet for running water. But curiously enough, except for a fresh suit hanging over the back of the chair there were no other personal things at all, and definitely no scrolls or books, other than the maps upon the table.

Earsinge was staring at one of these as he poured himself a glass out of a decanter on the table that might have been brandy and he drank it down in one gulp. As Andrew glanced at the map, he realized immediately that it was a copy of the pieced together one his grandfather had! He stepped back and concentrated on slowing his breathing as he considered taking it, but then Earsinge turned around, frowning, sensing something was wrong. Andrew froze, terribly afraid that he had given himself away, and for a very long moment he was sure that had happened. But at last, Earsinge shrugged it off and grabbed up the map, rolling it up before exiting the room.

It was a good thing that Andrew approached with caution, for he had just about caught the flap on its way down when he saw the glitter of eyes in the dark and realized that Earsinge had paused outside the door. Andrew backed away carefully, afraid to move despite knowing he couldn't stay there forever either.

"Is there something wrong, Chairman?" A goblin with a raspy voice asked.

"I don't know," Earsinge said. "Tell Napescar to search the camp, site one, even the tunnel. Let me know if even the slightest thing is missing."  
"Sir, what's going to come up missing in the tunnel? Rock?"

"Do as your told, Grimpenmire!" Earsinge snapped. "And I had better not catch you taking one single break before it's done!"

"Yes, Chairman," Grimpenmire sighed.

Andrew kept still, waiting for the flap to open. How was he going to ever be certain that Earsinge wasn't still standing there waiting? He glanced around the sides of the tent, wondering if he could force up a side high enough to get out the back. But just as he crouched to contemplate it, a goblin came in wearing dusty, beaten black leather clothing and a large tool belt around his tumbling waist full of picks, chisels and hammers. He glanced casually around the room then headed straight for the decanter and poured it into the glass all the way to the brim. As he reached for it he paused and turned around with a frown, squinting around the tent. But if he had any suspicions they seemed to soon leave him as he buttoned up his collar and reached for the glass again. Strangely enough, he put his fat fingers into it instead, then rubbed his hands together as if washing them and even wetting down his face. He then he gargled a bit, spit it out, then poured the rest out and put the cup on the table.

"Paranoid goblin," he muttered to himself in a raspy voice, and Andrew realized it must be none other than the Grimpenmire who was supposed to search the camp. "As if he keeps anything of value that's not on his person. What would anyone want from this dump besides a swig of brandy?" He took out a dirty rag from his belt then and spread it out as he opened the flap, waving it violently at the bugs to keep them out. Something bumped against him and he looked around with bewilderment before he closed the flap.

"What are you doing? I thought you were supposed to be searching the camp," Napescar snapped. Several other goblins were mulling outside, looking at him curiously.

"I am, Foreman. I was checking the Chairman's tent."

"The Chairman was just in there, you fool! What is that smell? Ugh, it's you!" Napescar snarled. "I don't care how good of a digger you are, Grimpenmire, if the Chairman sees his brandy down another inch, he'll be taking it out of your wages for sure."

"Now, don't be doing that, sir. I have as much right to try and get out of that hellhole back home as any of these other dirt miners," Grimpenmire said with a slight slur.

"I am beginning to doubt that!" Napescar growled at him. "If you can't do it right, I'll have Knifetongue and Forkfang do it instead. You get back to the tunnels!"

"Fine, fine, I didn't want to search no stinkin' tents anyhow," Grimpenmire said. As he turned towards the mountainside, he caught the movement of a tent flap but decided it would be best to mind his own business.

After a quick breakfast, the four Snapes once again met at the library, Alex curiously scanning the employment column in the Daily Prophet while the other three had their books open as if pretending to study.

"It was actually sort of strange. He didn't even have a trunk there," Andrew told them as they leaned over the table. "Just a simple kit and a change of clothes and that's all. He couldn't possibly spend much time in the camp. I think that might be part of the reason why that Earsinge and Napescar don't seem to get along. You should have felt the friction in the room. I'm surprised either one would be willing to turn their back on the other."

"What about Napescar's tent?" Aurelius asked.

"Well, his was definitely laid out for something long term. Trunk, clothes, dry goods, strange equipment, but no books at all except for a company ledger, which was nothing but a bunch of red columns that were every now and again paid even by Earsinge himself. There was only one painting, and I must say it was the most disturbing picture of a female goblin I've ever seen."

"Common pinup girl," Alicia sighed at him.

"Sorry, but if that was any true example of what goblin women look like in skivvies, goblins should not have pinup girls," Andrew said.

"Let's stay on the subject," Aurelius sighed. "You said you ran into another goblin that struck you as odd?"

"Grimpenmire," Andrew says. "Apparently takes great delight in pouring out the Chairman's brandy."

"Grimpenmire! I know that name from somewhere," Alex said looking up from her page to think about it. "Oh, I think Harry mentioned something about following him or something. At least, I think that's where I heard it from. Is that right?" she asked herself. The others rolled their eyes and turned back to the conversation.

"Well, apparently he's one of their head diggers, and he doesn't seem any more happy with being there than anyone else," Andrew said, then grew thoughtful. "But I think the real problem is the friction between Earsinge and Napescar. I think a lot of the diggers are loyal to one or the other, and it's causing a lot of trouble. I don't blame Earsinge for them wanting to hurry, really. Morale is definitely a problem in that camp."

"THAT'S IT!"

Everyone in the library jumped at the sound of Alex's voice, and Boulderdash looked from his table and glared at her as if contemplating whether or not to throttle her.

"What? What? Did you figure something out?" Alicia asked excitedly. "Do you know who killed Brad?"

"Huh? Oh, no, nothing to do with that," Alex said, circling an advertisement. "I just figured out what I'm going to say during my pre-OWL interview is all. We'll talk more about finding those documents later." She got up then, folding her paper around the circle. "I've got to go find Mandria."

"Why is it that the older she gets the less I understand her?" Aurelius asked in exasperation when she headed out of the room.


	31. The Alchemist's Final Bow

Chapter Thirty-One

The Alchemist's Final Bow

"Mandria Shea," Professor Weasley called, smiling at Mandria at she got up from the bench outside her office.

"Good luck," Alex said, very aware that she was next. The wait seemed interminable, and none of the group waiting seemed interested in talking, especially since there was a huge Defense test for Ravenclaw fifth years that afternoon. Finally Mandria came and exhaled as she sat next to her friend. "Well?"

"Outstandings recommended in everything."

"Everything?" Alex said anxiously.

"Everything. And I have to take all major subjects all seven years, but I was expecting that. And I have to take Arithmantics, Symbology and I have to take the advanced classes in Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Astrology." Alex cringed visibly. "Well, I didn't expect being a NEWT certified private tutor was going to be easy."

"Alexandria Snape?"

Alex gulped and smiled nervously as she looked up at Professor Weasley.

"Go on, get it over with," Mandria nudged, and Alex got up, looking quite uncomfortable about entering the room.

If anyone looked any less uncomfortable, it was most definitely Jennifer, who looked almost terrified as her daughter came in, smiling weakly at her. Professor Sprout was there as well, patting Jennifer's arm encouragingly. Jennifer cleared her throat when she noticed that Professor Weasley had closed the door and was looking at her expectantly.

"So, have you put any thought at all into what field you might like to get into after school?"

"Yes I have," Alexandria said enthusiastically.

"And, what would that be?" Jennifer asked reluctantly.

"Public relations!" Alex declared. Jennifer blinked at her.

"Public relations?" Jennifer repeated.

"You know, talking with people, promoting better understanding between groups, and working for a better community," Alex said sincerely.

"Well, yes, but are you sure there is opportunity in that?" Jennifer asked carefully, attempting to ignore the amused look on Hermione's face.

"As a matter of fact," Alex said, taking out the folded paper from her pocket and handing it to her.

"'Wanted; aspiring young students in public relations for summer positions in the Ministry of Magic. If you enjoy talking with people, have an interest in promoting understanding between groups and working for a better community, this may be the opportunity you've been looking for. Must be energetic, enthusiastic, and hard working. Secondary languages also helpful but not required. Apply by resume to Percy Weasley, Office of Public Affairs.' Well, that's lovely, isn't that lovely? Is this just yesterday's paper?" Jennifer said, frowning at it.

"Yes, that's when I decided," Alex agreed. Jennifer looked over at her critically.

"Well, of course you're her advisor, Professor Craw, but personally, it sounds perfect for her," Hermione put in quickly. "It definitely plays to her strengths, and being an Omnivox would be very useful in the field."

"Oh, I agree, Professor Weasley," Sprout added with a wide smile. "One can't deny that Alexandria likes to communicate. A lot," she added wickedly.

"Alexandria, you did just decide this yesterday, are you quite sure this is what you want to do?" Jennifer asked.

"Positively!" Alexandria said cheerfully, bolstered by the support of the other two teachers.

"Positively," Jennifer echoed, then took a deep breath and nodded in acceptance. "Well then, let's try to figure out what you're going to need for that, shall we?"

Alexandria laughed cheerfully as she glanced at the recommendations she written down, while Mandria, sitting next to her at lunch, looked quite annoyed.

"I have to take journalism. Have to! Muggle studies, two more years. I don't need more than average on any of my OWLS and out of the major fields, I only have to continue in History, Charms, and Defense, although she recommends Potions too…of course, she would. But other than that, my schedule's open! Even if I take Divination again, I'm going to have more time next year!"

"Only you would find a profession that would give you more time in school to get into trouble," Mandria said.

"Funny, that's what my Father said when he heard about it," Alexandria said, unrolling her paper. "How about this! Rose's grandfather has won the Wizard's Humanitarian Award again for his contributions to medicine. Wow, he doesn't look so well."

"Alexandria, he's ancient. He's never looked well," Mandria said with a sigh, but as she appeared at the picture, she frowned. "Maybe it's just the photo, Alex."

"Maybe," Alex said quietly. "Let's not mention it to Rose, huh?"

"Agreed," Mandria said with a nod. "Where are all the Gryffindors, anyhow? Conner hasn't even made it yet." Alex looked up and immediately saw what she meant. Nearly half of the table was empty, still set for lunch, but untouched.

"How very odd," Alex agreed, putting down the paper. "I'm going over to find out. Be right back."

"Of course!" Mandria said with a chuckle, watching her friend head over to Andrew and Halbert.

"Hullo, guys! Where is everyone?" Alex asked, sitting in the empty seat beside them.

"Napping," Andrew said tiredly. "We were all up nearly until dawn."

"Don't tell me, Peeves?" Alexandria guessed.

"I don't think it would have gotten so bad if Zack hadn't started shouting at him at the top of his lungs, threatening to exorcise him. Then Peeves began really bawling and floated up to the girls' room for sympathy. It went downhill from there," Andrew said.

"Hello, everyone! Hello, Alexandria!" Rose said, walking over to them with a clipboard. "What are you talking about?"

"Peeves," they all said.

"Oh," Rose said with a sigh. "You heard about Professor Ravenclaw, I suppose?"

"No! What's wrong?" Alex asked anxiously.

"Fell into a huge depression after talking to Peeves Saturday night. Locked himself up in the tower and cancelled all of his classes today. There's a note on the door."

"What?" Alex said.

"That poor bloke. He's always been moody, I guess Peeves was just too much for him," Andrew said.

"Well, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore is doing everything he can to bring him out of it," Rose sighed. "Anyhow, who's doing what for the talent show?"

"Andrew and I want to do a comedy act!" Halbert said brightly.

"Okay, but no short jokes, you two. What about you, Alex?"

"Me? I wasn't planning on doing anything."

"Oh, come on, Alex. Even Aurelius and Stock are doing something!" Andrew said.

"Aurelius in a talent show?" Alex said skeptically.

"They only signed up after I told them there would be points given to the top three acts and that one of the judges is Snape," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"Wait…Professor Snape is going to be one of the judges?" Andrew said. Even Halbert looked less enthusiastic.

"Blame your mother. Being on the organizing committee, she talked him into it," Rose said.

"Knowing Mum there was more than talk involved," Alex said dryly, and Andrew coughed loudly. "Forget I said that. Sure, I'll come up with something. What's Alicia doing?"

"She wants to paint to music," Rose said, "But I've been trying to talk her into something more…dramatic."

"Hey…I've got an idea. What do you think about a Muggle magic act?" Alex suggested.

"You're going to teach a Muggle how to do magic?"

"No no no, I mean what they call magic. Master Illusion! Magic tricks done without the aid of magic! Rose, you want to be my assistant?"

"Uh…sorry, on the organizing committee. See?" Rose said, tapping the board. "Sorry. Ask Mandria maybe, but she was also considering helping me..."

"Good idea! I'll go ask her now!" Alex said, running back over to the table.

"I bet now would be a good time to remind her about the committee too," Rose hummed innocently.

"Just how do you do magic tricks without magic, anyhow?" Halbert asked. Andrew shrugged at him.

* * *

Besides her school duties, Rose had a great deal on her mind these days. Not only keeping up the daily letters from Athos and an occasional letter from Corey who was interested in her Herbology experiments, her mother was writing much more often than normal. In fact, the letters were coming in so much more frequently that Rose knew things were not all so well at home. Her grandfather's 'lingering chill' just never quite went away, and the fact that every now and then her mother wrote to tell her that 'grandfather worked with me in the shop today,' became more and more infrequent. It was during the next week when they began discussing NEWT requirements in some of their classes that Rose got a letter than worried her more than the others before it.

_The warmer weather hasn't seemed to improve Grandfather's condition as I had hoped. He had a visit from his doctor again the other day, recommending constant bed rest. I don't have to tell you it didn't go over well. In fact, out of defiance he took to the lab and despite an unsteady hand would not leave it until he had successfully filled the orders. Then he finally fell asleep, a deep sleep I found I could not wake him from that morning. I had Owled the doctor again only to find him at his desk, after nearly eighteen hours of sleep._

_Your grandfather is a fighter… make no mistake about that. He is defiant of his condition, and unwisely so, and has gotten it into his head that he needs to go to Hogsmeade to see the Willowby shop, and also to see you. Nothing I have said has dissuaded that decision, nor even the suggestion that you come home for a few days will placate him. "I must finish getting my affairs in order," says he, "And to do that, there are certain people I must see, and will see, in Hogsmeade. Please do not try to dissuade me, granddaughter, for I am much to old to argue with and little time I have left is still my own." And so, we shall see you soon. Perhaps with your help, we can persuade him to finally retire after this trip so that he can get the rest he needs._

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be all right," Alex told Rose that morning as they walked towards the courtyard. "Mum has asked Sagittari to come this trip, in fact most of the staff is going this time, and Corey will make sure he's off his feet as much as possible in the shop."

"I hope so," Rose said quietly. "You know, my mother is an almost insufferable optimist about everything, but even her hopeful points sounded strange to me. Now that I know he's not well, I miss him so much I feel sick."

"Cheer up, you'll be seeing him in just a few minutes!" Alex reassured her.

It had been raining nearly every day as it always did that time of year, but that day, the sun tickled the clouds and seemed to burn them away, making it warm and sunny. As expected, Corey was there waiting for them, but so was Ashley and Glen Witolf, leaning heavily on his cane.

"Grandfather!" Rose said, immediately going over to hug him.

"There's my other favorite granddaughter! How I've missed you! What is this, tears? Confound it, Ashley, I told you not to worry the girl. Rose, I'm sure whatever she told you it's highly exaggerated," Glen protested, but his breath and voice was raspy to Rose's ears. Rose forced a smile as she stepped away. "There! That's better! Now, how about indulging an old man and showing me the way to this boy's shop so he can show me around? Hello, Alexandria! Good to see you again as well!"

"Wouldn't you like to stop by the Three Brooms first and relax for a bit?" Ashley quickly suggested.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind that myself," Corey said.

"Now, don't you start fussing over me too, boy," Glenn said, waggling a finger at him. "I remember your wiles from when you came in my shop when you were young. Rose had quite a crush on him when she was little. Do you remember Ashley?"

"Grandfather, please," Rose protested, as the old man began to teeter down the street, passing the three brooms. Rose quickly got to one side of him, taking his arm companionably, offering some support.

"Yes, I do," Ashley chuckled. "And what a rascal he was. I should have known then that he would have turned out to be competition."

"Competition for me, or competition for Athos?" Glen asked mischievously.

"Grandfather!" Rose protested again, Ashley chuckling softly at her daughter's reaction.

"Sir, I must protest as well, for I could hardly compete with either of you," Corey said.

"Hmm, to be sure, to be sure," Glen mused. "But still you do have qualities to be reckoned with. You are young, strong, you have a good heart and a decent head on your shoulders, loyal friends and a loving family, and to top it all off, you have something both Athos and I envy to above all…a true sense of identity. That's very important, son; see that you never lose it. It's very hard to find again if you do, and it's impossible to replace."

"Here, let me help you…" Corey said as they had paused at the step to the shop. With he and Rose to either side, they managed to get him in, and for the first time since the shop opened, Corey found himself wishing that the store wasn't so crowded. But those who recognized the old man immediately moved out of the way, several who knew him congratulating him for his award. But Rose and Alex didn't miss the worried looks that crossed their faces as they passed.

"Marvelous! Very nicely done!" Glen said as he waddled around. "But why so much behind the counter?"

"Necessity, I'm afraid," Corey sighed. "People kept tampering with my stock."

"Despicable," Glen rasped.

"I do have some bins here in plain sight of the counter, though," Corey pointed out. Eagerly he put a hand in each bin, holding each ingredient extremely close to his squinty spectacles and feeling the grains.

"Amazingly good quality, especially for this time of year," Glen said.

"Yes, I keep a cold cellar for storage as well as a large room for dry stock, keeps everything fresh longer. Actually, I'm still trying to pay off the cellar," Corey chuckled.

"Nothing wrong with humble means, so long as you love the work, I've always said. Do you?" Glen asked, gazing at him seriously.

"Of course," Corey grinned. "Anyone can tell you that I'm not likely to do anything I don't want to do."

"That's what we're here for," said Jack from behind the counter. The other clerks chuckled.

"Well, it's definitely not to stand around," Corey said, and quickly they got back to work. "But there's no reason we should be standing around. How about we go to the back?"

"If I get to see the lab, I'm all for it," Glen said. Ashley shook her head, knowing that Glen wasn't likely to sit down anytime soon if there were a lab anywhere about to inspect. She wasn't even quite sure why he was so adamant to see the place. Corey did try his best to get him to sit down while they were in the lab, but he was too curious about some of the bubbling cauldron in the room, smelling them, testing their texture, even taking a turn at stirring them while asking such technical questions about them that even Ashley began to get lost. But neither she nor Rose missed when the old man's eyes began to drop tiredly.

"You know, I'm starting to get hungry, maybe we could go to the deli. It's close by, and it's such a warm day, we can sit outside and watch everyone pass," Alex suggested.

"Are you sure you're not just saying that for me?" Glen asked suspiciously, and Alex quickly assured him that she wasn't. So finally Glen agreed, and quickly they left the busy shop and got back into the fresh air, settling Glen in the first empty table they found.

"There, are you comfortable, grandfather?" Rose asked anxiously. "What can we get you?"

"Just water if you will," he said. "I really don't get hungry much anymore."

"Perhaps they'll have a broth or something," Ashley suggested after feeling his cold hands. "We really ought to be getting back, grandfather."

"No, I'd rather stay here, thank you," he insisted. "I will just shut my eyes for a moment."

"We'll be right back out," Corey assured Ashley. As they stepped in to get in line, Rose's face dramatically changed.

"Why won't he listen?" she said with frustration. "He so obviously needs his rest! Why doesn't he want to go home?"

"Maybe in a way he's afraid to," Alex said in a gentle voice. "Rose, I think he just wants to see all of his friends first. He may never see them again."

"But he can't really think that," Rose said. "He will get better, if he just gets some rest! He's the greatest alchemist the world has ever known, surely there's something to help him get better."

Corey sighed and put a comforting arm around her, knowing there was little he or Alex could do to cheer her up, nor anything they could say that would make a difference. Quietly, Rose waited in line and then pulled herself together as they got the trays and turned back outside. Professor Sprout was sitting there chatting with them merrily, getting up when she saw them coming.

"Now here comes the best student in Herbology I have ever had, and Mr. Witolf, that is truly saying something," Pomona said.

"Talking about me again, are we?" Corey said, and everyone laughed, Sprout giving him a friendly jab.

"Oh, all right, you and the Snapes aren't that bad either," she said. "But I was talking about Rose."

"She used to spend every summer in my garden, even when she was little," Glen said with a proud smile. "Although she had us quite worried growing up, so shy she was! Before Hogwarts, you couldn't get more than two words out of her."

"Goodness, and not the first two years, either," Sprout chuckled. "I wonder what happened then?" she added, her eyes twinkling at Alex.

"Then I ran into someone who did enough talking for the both of us," Rose said, and they all chuckled.

"And you thought she'd be a bad influence on her," Glen said. Ashley was immediately flustered and apologetic, but everyone else chuckled. Sprout then quickly excused herself so that they could eat. But except for a couple of sips of water, Glen was much more interested in the crowds of students passing by, intermingled with people he knew. McGonagall dropped by for a quick word, and many other teachers including Jennifer with Andrew and Aurelius in tow.

"Why, are these your boys, Jennifer? Andrew, you've grown so tall! And so like your father. And Aurelius… such a good-looking boy isn't he? And very smart, I've heard. But where is Professor Snape, and your youngest?" Glen asked.

"Oh, she's at the castle, and Severus is gone on business," Jennifer said.

"I am sorry not to see them then," Glen said, Jennifer's face changing strangely when she looked at him. "You know, I just saw Corey's apothecary, and if it is any example of your teaching, I would say the next generation of alchemists are in good hands."

"Well, you did your fair share of teaching too, I hear," Jennifer smiled.

"My dear," Glen said, his voice so faint that Jennifer had to kneel to hear him. "Never have I witnessed such a low moment in that school as when you were gone. Severus so depends on you, Jennifer. And Hogwarts has come to depend on Severus." Jennifer nodded gently and smiled at him, before waving and walking away. There was a strange haunted look in her eyes.

"So, where to next, Mum?" Andrew asked after she began to wander down the street without any direction in mind.

"Let's go see if Toby's open," Jennifer said at last, immediately picking up the pace.

"You're doing too much talking and not enough eating," Ashley scolded Glen. "I'm sure it's all the excitement. Do finish so that we can go home, grandfather."

"I am not going anywhere," Glen said again, then glanced at Corey, Alex, and Rose, who had finished long ago. "But it wouldn't be right of me to hold back these three, would it? Run along now, go enjoy this beautiful spring day."

"You two go. Really, grandfather, I'd much rather stay here," Rose said.

"No, no-no, I want you to run along. Please, I want you to enjoy every moment of your life. You've worked so hard to get to the point you can finally stretch your wings, so humor an old man and let me see you fly, hm? Go on," he insisted. "Look after her for me, Willowby."

"Don't worry, I intend to," Corey assured him with a smile, helping both Alex and Rose with their seats. "Anyone up for a walk in the Grove?" As the three of them began to walk off, Rose made many looks over her shoulder, feeling very insecure about leaving them there. Because of that, it was she who caught sight of Severus and Alicia walking around the corner.

"I thought your father was out of town, Alex?" Rose said.

"How very odd," Alex agreed, as she saw the pair go over to the table. "And with Alicia, no less! That girl gets to do everything early!" Toby the Tinker passed by them as well, smiling warmly at them as he headed to say hello to the old gentleman at the table while a large group of annoyed students stood outside his shop with folded arms, waiting him to reopen after lunch. Even Pyther's old secretary was out and about on business, walking around with a long jacket and a strange black bag at her side.

"I've never seen so many townspeople out and about at one time," Corey commented. "Not since the Muggles moved into town."

"Oh, yes! How much fun that was!" Alex said. "Can we stop by and say hello to Eliza on the way back?"

"Well, perhaps a quick hello," Corey said, gazing at Rose. "Unless there's somewhere in particular you want to go?"

"The only place I want to go today was where we just left," Rose admitted. "All of this sunshine seems wrong to me. And look at these fields! Pouring with blossoms!"

"Yes, they are lovely! Let's cross over and gather some on the way," Alex suggested, and before anyone could answer took off across the field.

As quiet and Rose and Corey was, Alex more than made up for it as they walked along the Grove Path with flowers in their hands. Alex couldn't help but tell Corey about her plans for the talent show and how she finally talked Alicia into helping. Corey couldn't help but chuckle at that, unsure how Hogwarts would view that type of 'magic.' By the end of the walk, even Rose had begun to relax, even giving Alex some hints as to what sorts of acts her competition might be planning. After stopping at Eliza's and staying perhaps a few more moments than they had intended, the three of them headed back up the road to see Mandria, Conner and Stewart running over to them.

"What is it?" Rose asked, but already felt a drop in her chest.

"It's your grandfather, Rose. He and your mother were doing some shopping in Honeydukes, and he collapsed right outside. He's resting in the back of the Three Brooms now. Sagittari asked us to go find you and Dumbledore at once."

"I'm coming," Rose said shakily, and then after just a few steps broke into a run, Alex and Corey taking right after her. A very large excited crowd had gathered in the back of the main room, and even Corey and Alex were stopped by Rosmerta as Rose slipped past them.

Glen was lying very still upon a day bed with a mound of pillows and blankets to comfort him while Ashley sat holding his hand. She got up when she saw her daughter, and Rose looked between her tearing face and Sagittari's, whose face was very solemn indeed. Ashley stepped over to her, putting an arm around her and pulling her aside.

"He doesn't have much longer, Rose," Ashley whispered softly. "He has lived a very, very, long life. Try to be as brave and gracious as I know you are," she said, smiling weakly, leading her over. Rose took his cold hand and he seemed to recognize her at once, opening his eyes and smiling at her.

"Do not fret, little Rose," he murmured softly. "All will be well. I know that, because in your eyes I see a bit of myself. The line has held up rather well, in point of fact, and won't end here. I am at peace with that. I love you, child."

"I love you, grandfather," Rose murmured back, unable to hold back the tears any longer as she wrapped her arms around him.

It was then that Dumbledore finally came in, his face filled with obvious distress as he hurried straight over to Glen's side. Gently, Ashley pulled Rose away and sat down with her and held her as Dumbledore sat next to his friend.

"You don't have to do this, Glen. I cannot possibly ask that of you. Please, let me help you…"

"No…no, Albus, not this time," he said softly. "I have had a life fuller than most, but now I know for certain that my work is done. It is for others now to do, and my time to rest at long last. I miss Paranel and dear Perrier terribly, Albus, and it's time I rejoined them. I will keep my bargain in good faith, with no regrets. I wanted you to know that."

"And there is something I must confess to you as well, my friend. I once told you a lie that perhaps I shouldn't have…" Dumbledore whispered.

"I know, Albus, I know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You did what you had to do, as you will continue to do, as I trust you to do. Our secret is yours to keep now, free of any obligations to me, my friend. I release you of the promise, now and forever."

"You do not need to do that," Dumbledore assured gently.

"I will rest easier knowing that you are able to do as you will, and have the freedom to choose when your own time comes. And please tell Francis…tell Francis to remember me well."

"As we all shall, my friend," Dumbledore said softly, as the wizened figure drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He didn't awaken again.


	32. Breaking and Entering

Chapter Thirty-Two

Breaking and Entering

Three nights later, on a cool but clear evening, Glen Witolf was laid to rest upon a rolling hill above the Welsh farmland. The small, lonely cemetery was quite full that night, for there were few in the wizard world that didn't know him or respect him. It was strange to Alex to see such an event take place at night, but the reason was evident right away when Francis Pyther, along with Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and several others from the Order of Merlin acted as pallbearers. Alex had had little idea that Francis and Glen had been so close, and after the initial ceremony he and Albus distanced themselves off from the rest of them to talk about their lifelong friend.

The four Snapes stayed by their parents as they greeted and were greeted by other guests. Jennifer stepped away long enough to talk to Ashley for a few minutes, while Corey refused to leave Rose's side, keeping close for when she needed support and standing silently by her when others came to offer condolences.

It was Aurelius who first noticed and recognized the man standing alone against the cemetery wall, watching the proceedings from a distance without attempting to take part in it. Discreetly he worked his way closer to his father's side and tugged his sleeve, and Severus glanced over, squinting.

"Jennifer," he said in a low voice, and Jennifer glanced over, reading his face and then looking behind him at where Lucius stood.

"What in constellations is he doing here?" Jennifer asked in annoyance after she made her way back over to him.

"Perhaps he is only here to pay his respects," Severus mused.

"The man knows nothing of respect," Jennifer hissed at him.

"Nevertheless, I wonder if our presence here is keeping him from approaching. Let's give him some room and see what he does," Severus suggested.

"Severus, if he is here, he is here for other reasons…"

"Then let us see them, shall we?" Severus said. "But let us be the ones to do the right thing, regardless of what he chooses to do." Sighing in obvious disagreement, Jennifer glanced at her children, who were watching them both intently.

"Fine, but somewhere in plain sight," Jennifer said.

"I would have chosen that anyhow," Severus assured her. "Stay close, you four. Aurelius, beside me, please."

As a group they then moved through the crowd, many including Corey watching curiously as they walked past them and around to the high edge of the cemetery and stopped, turning around. And just as Severus expected, it was then that Lucius walked up through the groups of people to stare at the mound and glance at the stone, shaking his head to himself as if there was something about it that he disapproved of. He then turned and nodded to several of the Order of Merlin who stared icily at him in return, his eyes finally resting on Ashley Bailey. The moment stepped toward her, Rose and Corey came over as well, while others merely watching him from a wary distance.

"Ms. Bailey," Lucius said with a nod.

"Mr. Malfoy," she greeted in return.

"I offer my condolences for you loss. But I'm afraid I'm the bearer of other bad news," Lucius said. "I am to understand that you are the legal caretaker to his estate, correct?"

"Yes, in fact I have been for some years now," Ashley answered warily, wondering if he was going to question her legitimacy.

"Good, then I'm addressing the right person. You see, your great-great something or other grandfather and I did business together some years ago, before he curiously decided to change his name and move from Scotland to here. Mac Gaul I think it was in those days, wasn't it? What was it before that?"

"He changed his name because a certain terrorist group was hounding him over his work," Ashley said defiantly.

"Yes, well, it doesn't matter really, that's not the point," Lucius said, waving it off. "The point is that I have the evidence that he did so…"

"I hardly deny it," Ashley said firmly.

"Good, then this will be simple," Lucius said. "As it so happens, your grandfather and I once had a business agreement, and as apart of that I lent him a rather large sum of money that was never paid. According to the contract signed by him…I have a copy of it here… that if the business transaction didn't complete and he defaulted paying back the money that I had the right to any holdings he has until the debt is paid off. I also have the right by law to accrue a certain amount of interest, but as I've been studying your father's accounts, I see that his funds have decreased steadily over the last few years, but I am not without some conscience. I spent the afternoon going over some papers with my lawyers and the Magistrate, and I have decided that whatever his estate doesn't cover, I shall call it even."

"What?" Ashley said.

"Here is the original contact and all the necessary legal paperwork, including the lien on all of his property and articles. Don't worry, I've already taken care of the finer details and have taken over the estate. I trust you can find another place to sleep tonight," he said calmly.

"But all of my things are in there!" Ashley said in horror.

"And some of mine, too!" Rose put in.

"I'm sorry, but since there is no way that I can tell what rightfully belongs to him or to you and you could only be taken at your word, I can't let you in there, can I? Of course if you have documentation…"

"Blast the documentation! I hardly think our clothes and personal effects would be even questionably his," Ashley said hotly.

"Malfoy, you've really hit a new low this time. Even if you have somehow managed to extort money from Glen, you could have at least waited until after he was laid to rest!" Corey snapped.

"Well, he has been. I just saw him, in the ground," Lucius pointed out. "Besides, it is the law that kept me waiting to tell you this for sixty hours after his death. I'm hardly responsible for when you chose to bury him. If I had had my way, I would have come to you right away and spared you this little scene. After all, I'm the one who had to wait nearly thirty-five years for his estate to be questioned. I was beginning to think he'd never die…"

Before anyone could stop him, Corey lunged past Rose and Ashley and planted his fist in Lucius' jaw, and bedlam immediately broke out as Sebastian Shea and several others ran to keep Malfoy from pulling his wand and Rose and Ashley tried to pull Corey back unsuccessfully from where he stood slightly crouched in attack position with both hands out at the ready to cast a spell at him.

It was then that Severus and Jennifer raced in from where they had been waiting, Severus quickly wrapping an arm around Corey to force his hands to the side while Jennifer stood between them, glaring at Malfoy.

"If you want to get to Corey, you'll have to get through me first," Jennifer challenged him. "Oh wait, if you do that, you'll be dead then. How inconvenient for you!"

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Malfoy snarled, wrestling his hands free. "But I decided long ago that my death would only be meaningful if I could find a way to make you suffer like no one in your family has ever suffered before."

"Touch her and I'll kill you where you stand," Severus threatened evenly.

"What? Only to have you running completely free of those buffoons at the Ministry after ten years like Craw is? You think I don't know that Craw somehow managed to kidnap himself for his own convenience?"

"If you know that, you know more about it than we do," Severus said. Lucius laughed.

"Lie as you will to the Ministry and your colleagues, Snape, but don't take me as a fool. And as such, I am not foolish enough to take you both on, nor do I need to. I have Witolf's estate legally and there's nothing you can do about it. As for Willowby, he is going to jail on assault, and the lawsuit that will follow will be more than enough to close that enterprise permanently."

"That is assuming, of course, that you can find someone who will testify to the fact," Severus said calmly.

"Not everyone here feels the same way as you do about me, Snape," Lucius smiled.

"That was before you decided to bring such a gross business matter up at a funeral, Lucius," Sebastian pointed out. Immediately those around Lucius suddenly turned their backs upon him and everyone else did the same, walking away from where he stood with no apparent fear for having him behind them. Coldly he nodded.

"Very well. What do I care? After all, it doesn't change the fact that I own the place, does it?" Lucius said crisply before turning and walking off the hill into the darkness.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I lost my temper," Corey said quietly as they gathered by the table. "I never meant to drag you and Mom into that."

"It's quite all right, in many ways you were highly justified," Severus said. "Besides, it's nothing I haven't wanted to do myself over the years." Corey grinned at him then glanced over at where Ashley, Rose, Alex and Mandria were standing, quickly excusing himself to walk over to them.

"Thank you, Mandria, and thank your father too, but there really is no need to worry," Ashley told her, putting an arm around Rose who looked completely miserable. "Rose's tuition is completely paid for, and she'll be comfortable there, I'm sure, and I have some money tucked away in the bank. I can stay in London for a few days until I can find us another place."

"But what about our things? Grandfather's book? And the photos?" Rose said angrily.

"Now, please, try to calm down. I seriously doubt that a man like Malfoy would care much about photos or a book of fairy tales," Ashley said. "If nothing else, I can always buy them back from him."

"Buy them back?" Corey repeated. "Over my dead body," he said hotly. Ashley and Rose looked up with him in surprise. "And I also don't want you stuck at the Leaky Cauldron either."

"Corey, as I just got telling Mandria and her father, I am more than capable of standing on my own two feet," Ashley said.

"I know that," Corey said with a sigh. "Look, I have two rooms on the second floor and the attic above the shop that I don't use at all. In fact, they're in lousy shape, and it'd take a lot to get them livable, but if you're up to a bit of elbow grease and some creative spell casting, you're welcome to them."

"So, you want to trade your extra space for me helping to fix them up?" Ashley said unsurely.

"Basically, yes. No time limits, and you can leave whenever you want," Corey assured her. "Look, I promised your grandfather that I'd look after Rose, and since I know he couldn't have predicted what just happened, I'm extending it to you. As a fellow alchemist, I cannot personally or professionally allow Malfoy to attempt to sink the most renowned family in the field, can I?" Ashley let out a long sigh, gazing at Rose.

"Well, at least I'll be much closer to Rose for the last few months she's in school," Ashley mused, glancing at Rose, who gazed back at her with an unreadable expression. "Very well, Corey, on one condition; that you allow me to work with you in the lab. I dare think you have enough help up front, but I noticed that the lab itself was set up for one."

"You're right on that. No one works back there but me except on the rare occasion that my parents decide to invade the place," Corey chuckled.

"Well, maybe now they will have less reason to," Ashley suggested mischievously.

"All right, you win," Corey agreed with a grin, offering his hand. But as well as a handshake, Corey found himself receiving a friendly hug as well.

It was not long after Corey had gotten Ashley settled in the cleanest of the rooms on a makeshift cot and a boxful of folded Minerva-made robes that Corey crept back to his room and locked the door, grabbing a certain outfit out of his closet. Cheshire mrrowed at him from where he lay on the bed.

"Yes, if you must know, I am going out again. Stay here and look after Mrs. Bailey. There's some business I need to take care of," he told his familiar as he put on his musketeer uniform. After taking a moment to fill up Cheshire's bowls, he went over to the mirror, the spell to change his appearance into Athos coming as easy as a twist of the hand now. Out of the top of the closet he grabbed his scabbard and slung it on quickly, looking at himself over one last time before making sure he had his broom on him, then Disapparated.

It was past midnight by then. Athos couldn't help but feel a pang of immense grief when he flew over the cemetery, but quickly forced it out of his mind as he descended behind Glen's old cottage shop. The lush garden in the back provided the perfect cover for him to survey the house, making sure it was unoccupied. There were heavy locks upon the doors, which had been also been plastered with notices of possession and no trespassing warnings.

Athos glanced at the back window and crept over to it, muttering an identification spell to check what sort of charms were on it, carefully disarming two of them before putting his thumbs on the bottom of the window. But then he heard a soft cough from right behind him. Twirling around he unsheathed his sword ready for anything, only to find d'Artagnan, Aramis, and Porthos staring at him with their arms crossed.

"What in bajeezes are you doing here?" Athos said in surprise.

"Bajeezes?" Porthos said curiously. "Is that a French term?"

"That's hardly funny. You shouldn't be here… especially you, Porthos. You should be with your wife," Athos scolded.

"Do not worry, mon frere. She has already predicted when she'll go into labor, and it is not this night," Porthos assured him. Athos scowled at him.

"How did you know I was here?" Athos asked.

"It was easy, _mon ami_," d'Artagnan said. "It took only a few words with the Headmaster about the funeral to know what you would be planning, especially considering your feelings towards Mademoiselle Bailey."

"How do you know about that?" Athos said in alarm.

"Athos, nearly all of Hogwarts knows about that," d'Artagnan said amusedly. "And if Hogwarts knows, I know. And I know, these two know. Oui?" Athos sighed as the other three grinned at him. "We would not let you attempt the illegal act of breaking and entering without us. Especially since I know for a fact that this house has been rigged to a similar system as Malfoy's mansion itself. You would not have gotten in without notice on your own. All for one?"

"And one for all," Athos finished, shaking his head with a smile as they came over. "Whatever were we thinking when we let you join and take over?"

"It was probably the smartest thing you've ever done," d'Artagnan said wickedly. "Let us go to the front. Aramis, douse the lanterns in the yard."

D'Artagnan had little trouble getting the lock open and getting them in, and soon they were all working their way around the cluttered shop to the back of the cottage, finding themselves in a rather dusty but cozy living area. An old couch and a couple of comfortable chairs were situated around a medium sized fireplace, and twin bookshelves were on either side of it. Five doors not counting the one they had just come out of led out of the room, and each one picked a different direction to look into.

"Kitchen and bathroom back here. Dishes still in the drainer," Aramis sighed.

"Two bedrooms, through these. I'm guessing from what's in them that they're Rose's and Ms. Bailey's," Porthos said.

"I guess this is Glen's lab and bedroom. What's left of it," d'Artagnan said quietly.

"What do you mean, what's left of it?" Athos said sharply, and they all went to look inside. Indeed, in the lab half of the room not a scrap of paper was left on table or the desk, and the supply shelf was completely bare with only a few cracked cauldrons and a large empty hearth to show any signs of what it was. Behind a tattered curtain, the bedding had been thrown up, and the drawers have been obviously gone through. Several photos lay on top, their backs torn out, and some of them with broken frames, the pictures sobbing silently.

"That bastard," Athos growled.

"Please don't call him that," d'Artagnan said as he walked through the lab in case there had been something missed.

"Well, do you deny it?" Athos challenged him.

"From your point of view, perhaps not. But from his point of view, everything in this building ceased to belong to anyone but him from the moment those documents were signed, therefore had the right to do with them what he pleased," d'Artagnan explained.

"That doesn't make it right," Athos said firmly, gently rescuing the photos and putting them away.

"So what next? Shall we start packing the ladies' rooms?" Porthos asked.

"No, you'd best let me handle that," d'Artagnan decided. "Aramis, you go to the front door and keep watch. Athos, you and Porthos look through the other rooms and grab anything that you feel might be sentimental."

"I have to figure out which book she was talking about," Athos said.

"Well we could take them all," Porthos said. Athos gave him a dirty look.

"Even minimized they'd have some weight to them. Besides, if we took all of them, I think he would notice," Athos said.

"True enough," Porthos said, gazing over the books.

"Well, the book Rose was concerned about was one of her grandfather's favorite books, it would be somewhere an old man could get to it, so we can eliminate the top and the bottom shelves," Athos said.

"You definitely have a point," Porthos agreed, glancing up at the top shelves. "All of these are history. Some of them look very old, Athos, they might be valuable."

"Yeah," Athos said thoughtfully, then sighed. "All right, here's what we'll do. I'll scan the titles and any I don't recognize seeing from the Hogwarts library, we'll grab."

As Athos began pulling books off the shelf by twos he handed him to Porthos, who very quickly had his hands full.

"Are you sure you remember the History titles at Hogwarts?" Porthos huffed as he put down a stack to minimize it.

"Positive. I have the memory of an elephant," Athos said, handing him another stack.

"Too bad you don't have the elephant, we could use one at this point," Porthos complained, glancing at the top shelf. Only a handful of books remained. "You know, it could be just me, but I have a feeling he's going to notice."

"Look sharp! Malfoy just Apparated at the gate!" Aramis called out. "Should I keep him occupied?"

"No! We can't be seen here, Draco would get into serious trouble! Quick, come in here!" d'Artagnan called from Rose's room. In a panic, Athos glanced at the bookshelf and noticed several books on a shelf even with his chest that had been carefully mended over time. Quickly he grabbed them and as he turned to run, another fell out. Instinctually he grabbed it as well, bolting in the door just as the handle was being turned.

"Floo powder, hurry! To our house!" d'Artagnan barked, throwing a quickly transformed netted rope around the boxes before dragging them along. Within seconds they were gone, and Lucius darted in, his eyes immediately going to the bookshelf before quickly scanning the other rooms to see what was taken.

"Pugs! Report!" Lucius barked, and a groveling House Elf wearing a ripped burlap that declared him as 'fresh' although he looked nothing of the sort appeared, groveling miserably.

"It was those horrible Musketeers, master! They came and took your things! Your books! But you told me not to interfere, sir, so I didn't sir, only got you, sir, and then spied as you ordered me to."

"I know what I ordered you to do, you idiot creature, you hardly have to repeat it," Malfoy snapped. "Just tell me exactly what they did and said. And it had better be word for word."

Even though it was late, Severus felt too exhausted to sleep, torn as he was by his duties abroad and his duties at home. The violin wasn't helping, and Severus decided then to turn to his first mode of relaxing; paperwork. After first setting up the small potion lab in his room and getting a fresh batch of Subtle Slumber brewing, he glanced over his tests. Drumming his fingers at the monotony of marking, he turned his attention to the OWL and NEWT schedules to make sure the material they were covering. But soon he tossed it aside again, leaning back into his seat, brooding. He glanced at his journal but ended up pushing it aside, getting out the site maps once more. Penciled in now was where his camp was working to dig out a possible entrance site buried by several hundred years worth of landslides, and over the mountains an outline of the map to the mine, although he was fairly sure the dimensions were anything but to scale. And yet, there to the north, near a shaft leading to the 'poor' side of the mine, the goblins were now a mere day or two from breaking through the hard rock and working their way inwards. Severus sighed, shaking his head. Even if they magically blasted their way through, risking further landslides and damaging the entrance, Severus was fairly certain it still wouldn't be enough time. The goblins were going to break through first.

Outside his office, Descartes loudly announced someone else's presence, and Severus looked up to see Danny attempting to edge her way in.

"Is he trying to be friendly, or hostile?" Danny asked.

"Friendly. If he were hostile, I'm sure you'd know it by now," Severus assured her, folding up the map. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I had to drop something off for a student," Danny said quickly. "I saw your light when I was passing the courtyard, and with everything going on…it's been a long three days."

"That it has been," Severus agreed, getting up and going over to the mouse cage. "So long in fact that my supply of sedative had dwindled to nothing again."

"Is that purple color pearling in the brew a dash of Pixiecrystal?"

"I am no more willing to tell you my modifications than I am in telling my wife," Severus announced firmly. "Besides, you might just turn around and tell her," he added, getting a couple mice out to placate Descartes.

"Mind if I give one to Rasputin?" Danny asked.

"Suit yourself," Severus said, heading out to the classroom fireplace while Danny grabbed a mouse by the tail and quickly flipped Rasputin's eye patch back so he could stone it.

"Okay, coast is clear," Danny said cheerfully as she readjusted the eye patch.

"As if I would be silly enough to look at a basilisk after all these years of having one," Severus grunted as he went to check his brew. Suddenly Descartes began cawing happily again and then started to warble in contentment. Severus stood up then, knowing whom to expect as Dumbledore entered the room.

"Good morning, Severus, sorry to bother you. Danny, your cousin has been looking for you. He would like to see you in his office at the Ministry as soon as possible."

"Right now? It's nearly three in the morning, what is he doing there?" Danny said, glancing at the clock.

"He didn't get into details, Danny, but he did mention something about Lucius coming to him and accusing the Musketeers of breaking into the former Witolf cottage and stealing some property of his," Dumbledore said solemnly.

"Damn! I didn't think he saw us!" Danny said. Dumbledore coughed loudly.

"Forgive me, what was it you just said? I dare think I didn't quite hear you."

"I said, I'm going to go talk with him now, Professor," Danny said quickly.

"Oh good, that's what I thought you said," Dumbledore nodded to her. Sheepishly she waved and headed out the door. Severus sighed loudly, and Dumbledore eyed him thoughtfully.

"I do not need this right now," Severus said irritably. "My father-in-law has got me wrapped up in a complicated murder case and a search for legendary treasure, Alexandria is encouraging my youngest two to launch surveillance campaigns in areas that would likely get them killed if they're caught, and now, my eldest is picking fights with Lucius Malfoy and worse instigating him by breaking into a property he just confiscated and probably stealing half the things in there. The only person in the family who isn't giving me a headache at the moment is Jennifer, and the weight of that irony is enough that I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Well, I can hardly blame Corey for what happened. If I had been close enough to hear the particulars of the incident I'm quite sure I would have gotten involved myself."

"Yes, I probably would have as well," Severus agreed with a sigh, kneading his head.

"Do you need some time, Severus?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"Thank you, no, that would hardly be reasonable of me. Weekends are more than enough."

"I meant real time," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye. "It seems like you have your hands full in the moment. I'm sure I could get someone to fill in until some of this blows over." Severus considered it thoughtfully before a moment before shaking his head.

"No, the easiest place to keep an eye on the four is here. Corey is old enough to handle his own problems, and for reasons you already know about I must keep a presence here if things are to work out for the excavation company. Besides, this is the first year we'll be handing out the revision of OWLS and NEWTS and I do want to make sure those go well."

"Yes, there is that, although I'm sure when the board looks them over that you'll have nothing to worry about, Severus," Dumbledore smiled at him, getting up. "If you change your mind, be sure to let me know as soon as possible," he said, Severus nodding in response as he headed out.

Severus glanced over at the bubbling liquid and then glanced at the clock with a sigh. Pouring it into a few bottles he pushed it aside and contented himself to settle in his chair and close his eyes for an hour or two before breakfast.


	33. The Unmasking

Chapter Thirty-Three

The Unmasking

Andrew and Halbert was just about to start on their second helpings that morning when Conner passed by, poking them in the backs as he passed.

"Hullo, 'Bert, Hullo, 'Drew. Where's your delinquent friend?" he asked. "Did Rose drag him off to the Owlery again?"

"You didn't hear? Professor Weasley came to our house rooms this morning and took him to see Dumbledore about something," Andrew said.

"Oh no! Now what has he done?" Conner scowled. "And who was supposed to be watching him?"

"I don't know, but Professor Weasley said he wasn't in any sort of trouble," Andrew said.

"Well, I'm sure that's what she would say around you," Conner said darkly. "He may be into something serious this time. He may be on his way home even now."

But despite Conner's unfavorable prediction, Rose and Zack appeared ten minutes later, quickly sitting down to grab a quick bite before class.

"So? What was it all about?" Andrew prompted, and Zack sighed in annoyance.

"Dumbledore wants me to make up with Peeves," Zack grumbled. "He says Peeves kept Hufflepuff up all night, and they still can't manage to get Professor Ravenclaw out of his room. Apparently they even tried calling Mr. Pyther in, but with everything going on he's out of sorts as well and ended up making the matter worse."

"Well, after all, it is rather your fault he's like this…" Rose began.

"Look, it wasn't working out. He was driving me up the wall and getting me into trouble. All I did was try to put him back where I found him. He wasn't unhappy here before I came along, why can't he just get over it?" Zack complained.

"Zack, when you meddle in someone else's life, you can't expect to just let it go when you get tired of it," Rose scolded him. "It'd be like picking up a starving puppy off the street, feeding him and making him clean, warm and comfortable, and then tossing him back into the gutter again! I dare think I wouldn't be so happy either."

"But all he does is cause trouble and pester people to get attention!" Zack said.

"Gee, that sounds familiar," Conner snickered.

"You have absolutely no room to talk," Rose told him. Conner turned the other way. "Well, I suppose now that Dumbledore wants you to make it right, you'll have to, won't you? Look, I know it's impossible to reason with a poltergeist, but maybe if you give a little, so will he. Get him to think you're on even ground, and if you have to use a little tough love to get there, do it."

"I guess I'll think up something," Zack sighed.

"So how are you doing today, Rose?" Andrew asked.

"A little better," Rose said with a faint smile, hugging her books close. "I'm still a little numb, but people have been very supportive. In fact, your brother Corey has been amazing, Andrew, and Athos…Athos is a saint."

"I'm not so sure Athos would agree with that," Andrew chuckled.

"Well, let's just say he saved more than my life this time," Rose said, glancing at one of the larger volumes in her hand, touching the rim to the Christmas legends book lovingly. "This time he saved a piece of me."

"Oh really? What did he get a piece of?" Zack quipped, and Conner slugged him in the arm. Zack rubbed his arm and glared at him. "Well, I was just asking."

"Miss Bailey?"

Rose looked up to see Professor Weasley gazing at her. She was smiling, but Andrew couldn't help but think that she looked somewhat tense.

"I'm sorry, I know you just got here because of Zacchius, but…well, Minister Thurspire would like to talk to you a moment before class. I promise, it'll only be a moment," Weasley said.

"Can I drop my books off in my next class?" Rose asked.

"No, best just bring them since he's waiting," Hermione said, coaxing her up.

"I'll take them for you, Rose," Andrew offered.

"Oh, Andrew, thank you! I have Potions during first," Rose said gratefully, handing them over before following Weasley out.

"Why did you do that?" Halbert whispered. "We've Herbology first, it's in the opposite direction."

"I don't know, it just seemed important to her," Andrew whispered back getting up. "You go on, I'll meet up with you."

Andrew carefully placed her Potion book on top as he hurried through the halls, keeping a swift pace to make sure he had plenty of time to drop them off and get to his classroom. But as he slipped into the room, he was surprised to see Snape at the desk, looking at him with the same surprise that he was giving him.

"I thought it was seventh years this period," Snape squinted.

"I'm dropping off Rose's books for her. Where does she sit?"

"How in the world would I know?" Snape said in annoyance. "Try the end of the first row. Why isn't she dropping off her own books?"

"Apparently Thurspire just showed up and wants to talk to her. Why are you…" but Andrew's question died on his lips as his father suddenly leapt up and strode out of the room. "Did I miss something?" Andrew murmured to himself before putting the books down and heading towards his own class.

Thurspire had turned down Dumbledore's offer for tea and a seat, so was still standing when Hermione showed Rose in. Dumbledore was behind his desk drumming his fingers upon it with an unusually irritated look on his face, making Rose a little nervous as Thurspire turned to greet her.

"I am so sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Bailey, but I was hoping that you would be willing to answer some questions for me if you feel up to it?" Thurspire smiled.

"Very well," Rose said solemnly, "but please don't feel like you need to patronize me on grandfather's account." Thurspire blinked in surprise, clearing his throat.

"Yes, I agree, please do get to the point, Minister. Rose, this is a voluntary questioning at this point, and I simply will not allow her schedule interrupted for that," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Very well, Professor," Thurspire said, smiling more forcefully. "But I assure you, I am no more happy to be here than you are having me here. Miss Bailey, might I ask when the last time it was you saw your boyfriend?"

"My boyfriend?" Rose said with surprise.

"You are entertaining letters with Athos, are you not?" Thurspire asked. Rose stared at him, wondering exactly who it was he had talked to. But then her thoughts went to that one class with Snape and her face went red.

"Even if I am, I don't know if you could call him my boyfriend," Rose said. "I haven't seen him since Christmas Eve."

"Really?" Thurspire said thoughtfully. "Are you sure you haven't ever snuck off to speak with him when you returned to school? Not even once?"

"No, of course not!" Rose said indignantly.

"Has he ever asked you to meet him anywhere specific?"

"Ederick, I hardly see what this has to do with the incident last night," Dumbledore protested.

"What incident last night?" Rose asked. Thurspire gazed at her with intense scrutiny.

"It appears that someone broke into your old home last night and stole quite a bit of property. Lucius Malfoy was alerted by one of his House Elves and arrived to find a great deal of the house ransacked. He was under the impression that Musketeers were behind it," Thurspire said. "Tell me, Rose, did you send any letters to Athos concerning what happened between Lucius, your family, and the Snapes last night?"

Rose hesitated, her mind racing. She hadn't, she realized, which meant that Athos must have been one of the guests there! Of course, there had been so many people there, many she hadn't even known, but which was it? And was Thurspire too trying to narrow that down?

"Yes, of course I did," Rose said at last. "You're not trying to imply that I asked him to do it, are you?"

Just in the door opened and Snape came in, his eyes flashing dangerously at Thurspire.

"I'm sure the Minister didn't mean to accuse you of anything, Rose," Dumbledore assured her.

"And just what nonsense is he accusing her of now?" Snape asked defensively.

"I'm sorry, can whatever it is you need to speak to Dumbledore about wait until later?" Thurspire suggested.

"No it can't, actually," Severus said curtly, glancing at Dumbledore. "Professor, is Miss Bailey going to have to be subjected to this…. Minister… for long?" he asked, saying the word 'Minister' with obvious distaste. "Miss Bailey does have an important Potion Test in ten minutes."

"And why would you care if she had a Potion's test?" Thurspire asked challengingly.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm helping cover for Jennifer until the end of the week. And even if I wasn't, since I am overseeing the progress of the students before their OWLS and NEWTS this year, I would be highly concerned about any 'investigation' that would interfere in a student's schoolwork unnecessarily."

"He does have a point, Thurspire. Is there anything else you need to ask her about?" Dumbledore said.

"Fine," Thurspire said, rubbing his forehead with one finger distractedly before turning to her. "Miss Bailey, have you received anything in the last eighteen hours that you know was in that house?"

"How would I have received anything?" Rose asked him in return. "One hardly walks into Hogwarts unannounced."

"Thurspire, I really hope you're not implying that we would allow someone in here after hours," Dumbledore chided him.

"Professor, if I may, I was up until nearly four this morning, and I can testify that no one except students and staff have entered the building since I arrived back after the funeral," Severus said.

"And how would you know?" Thurspire challenged.

"I am the head of security. It's my job to know," Severus said.

"And what about when you finally did go to bed? Didn't that leave open at least a several hour window of opportunity?"

"Ederick, I was awake at that point after getting an Owl from the Minister about this affair," Dumbledore said. "In fact, I spoke with Severus about it, so I do know he was still awake at that point, and I didn't go back to sleep after."

"Yes, that puts a rock in your window of opportunity, doesn't it?" Severus said snidely.

"Professor, Severus, please," Thurspire said, letting out a loud sigh before gazing seriously between them. "I need for you to think seriously about this, regardless of who it is you're protecting. Lucius Malfoy is on a rampage; Draco has no choice but to investigate, regardless of his past ideas to protect the Musketeers. Now, I have to take Rose at her word that she hasn't received anything because she already had quite a few possessions here and she may have had any one of them with her, but if my other LE team in Hogsmeade finds out that Ms. Bailey acquired some things from home last night, it's going to be completely obvious. If the Musketeers don't come forward, Lucius will undoubtedly press charges upon her. No matter how you look at it, it seems clear that this will spell the end for the Musketeers."

"I need to get over there…"

"Not this time Severus," Dumbledore said firmly. "You have duties here. He can take care of himself. Hermione, send Madame Brittle to Hogsmeade to find out what's going on." Hermione, who had been standing by the door, slipped back out again.

"He?" Thurspire said, glancing at Severus' worried face starkly. "It's Corey, isn't it? He's one of them, isn't he? That's why one of them actually uses a real sword, because he doesn't need a wand. That's it, isn't it?"

Without a word, Rose suddenly bolted, ignoring Severus barking voice ordering her to come back as she dashed down the spiral stairs and out the door. Severus' head whipped around to face Thurspire, looking even angrier than before.

"Thank you Minister Idiot, for turning the first correct observation you've had since you joined the Enforcement into a complete disaster!" Severus snapped at him furiously.

"She didn't know, Ederick," Dumbledore told him gently. Thurspire stared at him for a moment as he finally worked out what he had done wrong and became extremely apologetic.

"Well, aren't you going to stop her, Professor?" Severus snapped, tapping his desk.

"No, Severus," Dumbledore said. "I think you and I have done enough butting in with this matter. Rose's loved ones are going to be directly affected by this, and she is an adult, after all. As for the Musketeers, it's been years since Corey and his friends have left these halls, Severus, they are anything but children. They need to take care of their own responsibilities, as we need to take care of ours. Besides, don't you have a Potions test to give?"

"And in the meantime, Lucius is probably even now helping Thurspire's lackeys to make my son's life a living hell," Severus growled.

"Even if my men weren't there to make sure that he didn't overstep his bounds, it's not like he can really hurt Corey considering the curse and all, can he?" Thurspire pointed out.

"Tell that to Aurelius," Severus said darkly before heading out the door.

* * *

Corey's nose had actually woken up before the rest of him, the smell of food enticing him awake until he finally sat up, crawling curiously to the foot of his bed to look out the open doorway into his living area.

It was absolutely immaculate, from the kitchen to table to corner seating area. Even the knobby wooden floors had been polished. A white candle wreathed in herbs was in the center of the small table, and the windows had been flung open, and not a speck of dust could be seen in the beams of light that poured in. At the stove stood Ashley, humming softly to herself, while at her feet sat Cheshire, his head cranked to look at her expectantly and his tail swishing contentedly back and forth, a sure sign he had made fast friends with the woman.

Suddenly Corey began to wonder if he had thrown down his uniform when he got home instead or putting it away. In a panic he threw on a robe and opened his closet, breathing a heavy sigh of relief when he saw it safely in there.

"Good morning," Ashley said when she noticed him, smiling. "I hope I didn't wake you. You are just in time for breakfast. I made the coffee extra strong today, I suspect you'll need it," she said cheerfully.

"Thank you, although you hardly needed to go to all the trouble," Corey protested. "Wow, does that stove actually work?"

"You wouldn't think so, considering the fact that you have been using it to stack things on," Ashley chided him. "And a trash barrel full of butcher paper from the deli, I see."

"Now you're starting to sound like Mom," Corey chuckled. "I don't have time to cook!" Ashley clucked her tongue, gesturing to a seat and pouring them both the coffee.

"If you have time to put a cauldron to boil, you have time to put a kettle to boil," she said, sitting down as well.

"Now why does it sound like you've said that before," Corey smiled at her.

"My Aunt Caety Witolf used to say that, in fact, and after she passed on and I became the 'favorite granddaughter,' so I felt almost obligated to say it. Especially since grandfather would very often forget to eat, so intent he would get on his work." Ashley said with a soft but sad smile, lost in thought for a moment before looking up at Corey. "I think I must have said it every day of my life until the last three days. I've never felt so alone in my life," she murmured, crossing her arms as if cold. "In fact, it's the only time I have ever attempted to sleep in an empty house. I married right out of school, and when Ryan died when I was pregnant with Rose, my grandfather whisked me away to live with him, before the numbness had time to wear off. He had lost his own wife not very long before, although I suppose it made for an odd sort of family."

"Not really. What happened to your husband, if I may ask?"

"You may," Ashley said, taking a sip of her drink. "He died of a car accident, actually. He was Muggleborn…fresh out of school and full of big dreams of changing the wizard world. And, well, when our world wouldn't change for him he decided to try changing the rest of the world instead. Got a job in a respectable Muggle business of some sort making plastic odds and ends of all things, rose up in the company very quickly, too, and I used to wonder if he would have changed the world at that. And then when I got older, I realized he had, for I had Rose. He always used to give me roses, you know, and she was his last gift to me, and the best of all of them."

"Well, you won't hear me argue with that," Corey said.

"Well, I should hope not," Ashley said, smiling enigmatically, getting up. "Now I hope you don't mind if I excuse myself, but I'll meet you downstairs. Thanks to you and your friends, it seems I have some memories to unpack."

"Me and my friends, what do you mean?" Corey asked sharply.

"Oh, I think you know," Ashley said with a smile, turning to head to her rooms.

Corey watched her for a moment uneasily, wondering how much she guessed, wondering if he should try to talk to her about it. But how would he ask without the whole thing coming out? Then again, wouldn't it be better just to tell her? After all, making peace with his future mother-in-law might be a step in the right direction. The realization that he was thinking of Ashley as that startled Corey, but the more he thought of it, the more he knew it was right. Besides, if anyone had an idea how he might tell Rose the truth, it would be her. Making up his mind, Corey quickly finished the meal and got up with the intent to go talk to her when he heard footsteps racing up the stairs and looked over to see one of his clerks coming up.

"What's wrong?"

"Lucius," Joe said, out of breath. "He's here with some Enforcers. They want to talk to Ms. Bailey." Squinting at him, Corey headed down the stairs as Ashley peered around the corner, wondering what was going on.

It was not yet quite nine o'clock, so Corey's clerks had been just finishing up the stocking when Lucius, a pair of Ministry men, and a very large man accompanying Lucius knocked on the door, asking to be seen in. Just outside, several men were looking in the window, and Corey immediately recognized them as reporters from the Oracle.

"Stay upstairs," Corey advised Ashley before heading down, gazing thoughtfully at the men in front of him. "I see we have company. What's the game this time?"

"This is no game, Willowby." Lucius snarled. "My property was broken into, and quite a number of personal articles were removed from it."

"Really?" Corey said expressionlessly. "Anything valuable?"

"Considering I just took over the property, I have no way of knowing, do I?" Malfoy snapped. "But I do know whose behind it, just as I know where those things must have went. Here."

"In the shop?" Corey said with surprise.

"Mister Willowby," one of the Ministry Enforcers cut in. "Is Ms. Bailey staying with you?"

"As a matter of fact, she's also working for me," Corey said.

"And do you recall what she brought with her when she moved in?" he asked.

"Of course I recall," Corey sighed. "In fact I have perfect recall. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Because I am well aware she came here with nothing but the clothes on her back," Lucius snapped. "And therefore if she did receive anything from that house last night it would be quite obvious! Now, stand aside, Willowby!"

"Do you have a court order?" Corey asked, standing firm despite Lucius' looming figure in front of him. One of the officers took it out and handed it too him, and Corey carefully took it and began to read it.

"Officers, are you going to move him? Because if you don't, I will," Lucius said.

"There really is no need for all of this." All of them looked over to see Ashley standing at the base of the stair, walking over to them. "Very well, I admit that some items were left to me last night. But there was nothing of any value, Mister Malfoy, merely some clothes and family photos. And although I wasn't aware of any attempts to get them on my behalf, I will very gladly pay you for them."

"Ashley, don't…" Corey started, handing the order back.

"Corey, he does legally own that house, now. If someone did break in to get those things, I'm sure they didn't think through all the consequences," Ashley said, glancing at the Ministry. "I am willing to pay, especially if it will end this."

"And how am I to know that what you have isn't valuable?" Lucius snapped.

"He's right, Ms. Bailey, we still need to search your room," the officer said. Glancing at each other, Corey reluctantly turned to lead the way, Ashley right behind him. Lucius glanced around the common room with utter distaste before following the officers in.

"There it is, all the boxes along that wall," Ashley sighed, glaring at Lucius when he followed behind them, picking at it with his cane. As he got to the box of the photos she quickly snatched them up, afraid what one vicious lunge would do. He squinted at her, then viciously sorted through them with his hand, pulling out one of the frames featuring the old man himself before tossing it back in.

"These are indeed from the house. What about that over there?" Lucius said, pointing at some neatly piled boxes.

"I bought all of that here in town to get me by on. I have receipts for all of it," Ashley said proudly.

"And where are all the books?" Lucius demanded.

"There weren't any books," Ashley said.

"Did your daughter get them then?"

"I have no idea, I don't even know if she got anything!" Ashley said with surprise.

"Well, I am not leaving here until we have a thorough check of the rest of the house for them."

"Think again, Lucius!" Corey said. "That court order specifically states on line three that only Ashley's personal possessions were to be checked. Neither they nor you have any authority to do it, and I certainly am not going to give you permission." Suddenly, Lucius' face changed dramatically, staring at Corey as if he hadn't ever noticed him before.

"Did you say, line three?"

"Check it yourself," Corey snapped. Slowly Lucius reached over and took the offered paper from the officer holding it, then held it back, meeting Corey's defiant gaze evenly.

"Officers, arrest Ashley Bailey at once," he said at last, turning around to meet her surprised gaze. "I am pressing charges against her for being an accomplice to a crime and possessing stolen goods, and I expect my things to be removed from here at once!"

"What? Why you slime…" Corey growled, but before he could lunge, the big man in the back suddenly reached out and put an arm in front of him.

"Of course, if you were willing to reveal the true names of those who helped you so that justice can be served, I might be willing to overlook it."

"What?" Ashley said in disgust. "Why, even if I did know them all, do you honestly think for one moment that I would sell my soul to a devil like you? I would gladly take the blame and more, for I assure you that would be closer to justice than what you have in mind!"

"Oh really," Lucius said skeptically, lowering his voice. "So, perhaps you don't know them all, but you know one of them, don't you? And now, so do I." Suddenly he turned and brought out his wand, casting a spell before anyone could react. A silvery cord of energy whipped out and around Corey's wrists and hands so tight that he couldn't lift a finger. "Greg! Take him outside!" Lucius barked, and immediately, Greg Goyle picked him up easily and dragged him out, despite Corey's kicking and struggling.

"Lucius! What are you doing? You can't do that!" one of the officers barked.

"I am making a citizen's arrest and making both of you famous!" Lucius told them, following him out. Worriedly the other three followed, running outside to find Goyle holding him to the ground to prevent himself from being kicked again. The reporters looked over with interest, and a crowd had already begun to gather as Lucius walked over to them.

"It is said that one of the four Musketeers uses a real sword instead of a disguised wand," Lucius said, loud enough for everyone coming up to hear. "Some speculate he's a broom riding squib, but I conjecture he's a Focus Caster. I have also heard, as recently as last night as a matter of fact, that that same Musketeer has an infallible memory. What are the odds, I wonder, that two such rare talents would appear in more than one individual?" he said with a smile. The townsfolk did not smile back. "I also happen to have heard that this same Musketeer nearly died from a goblin dagger to the back, a wound which even magic can't erase completely. What are the odds?"

"No, don't!" Rose's voice cried out from somewhere Corey couldn't see, but before he could react or even attempt to fight again, he was pulled to his feet and his shirt was magically stripped away. Helplessly, Corey's eyes searched for hers, but the expression on her face nearly tore him in two to look upon.

"Well, well, well, what is this? The pride of Hogsmeade, the new alchemist, is none other than Athos, one of the four thieving Musketeers who broke into my cottage last night," Lucius said nastily. "Well, don't just stand there, men, wouldn't you like a picture?" he said to the reporters.

"We didn't steal anything that you hadn't already stolen, Malfoy," Corey snapped angrily. "Those items weren't yours to claim."

"I had a legal claim!" Malfoy snarled. "You may think by hiding behind a mask you can help your adopted parents evade the law, Willowby, but the game is now up for everyone to see. I am going to make sure you pay for your crimes, and if I have my way, expose what you've been doing for them."

"This isn't about Mom and Dad, Malfoy," Corey said angrily. "It never was!"

"Do you really think I'm a fool?"

"No, but you are doing a good job in trying to convince me," Corey said. "We did only what we had to because no one else would! The law isn't always right, Lucius! And the fact that you're standing there free proves it!"

"Why you…"

"Enough!" barked a heavy voice so loud that it paused Lucius' arm, bent back as if to backhand him. "I will not let one of us be singled out!"

Everyone stared in surprise as three figures stepped forward out of the crowd. It had been d'Artagnan, standing in the center, who had shouted, but everyone's eyes were on the men on either side of him, for although they were dressed in Musketeer uniforms, nothing disguised their faces. Defiantly the two of them removed their hats, and those who knew them from the bank or in passing knew the faces of Taylor Brittle and Doug Brim.

"I should have known," Lucius murmured, folding his arms and shaking his head. "Coming to attempt to rescue your friend?"

"Merely to stand with him," Taylor said calmly.

"We are here to support our comrade, but not perhaps in the way you think," d'Artagnan said. "What Corey just told you is true. They weren't acting on any other orders but my own, and anything they have done while in uniform, I take complete responsibility; as their leader, as their friend, and as someone who owes them her life. Our anonymity was done because although we do not necessarily agree with all the values our families taught us, we do respect and care about them. In essence, it basically means that it was done because of you," Danny said, pulling off her hat. As her black hair came down out of it, her disguise also fell away. But although several gasped, Malfoy's face turned to grey stone, his eyes having trouble masking the anger and horror he was feeling.

"I am grateful for all you've done for me and taught me, Uncle. But that doesn't mean that I always agree with how you handle business or how you treat people. I never wanted to hurt you, but I had to do something about what I was seeing around me. Uncle, you've got want you wanted; you have Witolf's shop and all the research that went with it. Let the Baileys keep what little they have. It's of no use to you, and all they want to do is preserve their grandfather's memory. You can't blame them for that," Danny said.

Lucius turned then, not trusting himself to look at her anymore, and growing increasingly aware of the crowd silently watching him.

"Arrest all four of them for burglary," he said coldly, refusing to look at any of them as he gestured Gregory back to his side. Immediately Rose ran over Corey, hugging him awkwardly since his hands were still bound.

"And the Baileys?" the officer asked as the other went to the other three would were already holding out their own wrists.

"I don't care," Lucius said, making a face and waving his hand. "Let them go, I'll send my lawyer and an appraiser to come up with a settlement. I am going to get a drink," he declared. As the crowd parted to let Lucius and his bodyguard through, the two Ministers looked at each other ruefully before turning back to the four they had little choice but to arrest.

"Forgive me," Corey whispered to Rose quietly. "I didn't want you to find out this way, but I was afraid to tell you."

"Afraid? Of what?" Rose murmured back in surprise. He shrugged slightly.

"That you wouldn't be interested in a simple alchemist who normally leads a boring life trying to stay one step ahead of my debts," he said.

"Oh, Corey!" Rose laughed, kissing him gently. "As if a granddaughter of Witolf could be anything other than an alchemist's wife." Corey stared at her in wonder until she began to look uncomfortable, and had begun to lean down to kiss her when he heard someone clearing his throat loudly and looked up to see one of the Enforcers standing there, looking extremely apologetic.

"Sorry. We need to be getting back," he said, and Corey realized that the others had already gone.

"All right. You had better be getting back anyhow. You have a NEWT to pass. I could use a Herbologist in the family," he said almost casually.

"In your family?" Rose asked softly. The officer sighed loudly again.

"We'll talk about it later. Write to me?" Corey asked.

"Ten times a day, like always!" Rose promised.

"I look forward to remembering every word of it," Corey said, tearing himself away to join the Enforcer who took out his key and transported them both.

The crowd slowly began to disperse then, and even Corey's clerks headed back to the shop to open for the day. Rose stood there lost in thought until Ashley came up, putting a loving arm around her and smiling.

"He's right, you really do need to be getting back to school before you get into too much trouble. But it's all right, there really is nothing to worry about," Ashley assured her as they began to walk down the street.

"Nothing to worry about?" Rose said, her head still spinning from everything that had just happened.

"Well, nothing for you to worry about on this end at any rate," Ashley said, eyes twinkling mischievously. "Criminal or not, hot tempered or not, I can't help but approve, can I?" Rose smiled happily at her, but then her face fell, replaced but sudden horror.

"Good heavens, I just missed my Potions test! And Snape was teaching it!" she said, paralyzed in her tracks for a moment. Suddenly she squealed again in realization. "Good heavens, I'm going to have Snape for a father-in-law!" With that, Rose dashed towards Honeydukes leaving her mother to stand there and shake her head at her daughter. Finally Ashley turned and headed back to the apothecary, rolling up her sleeves as she entered with full intentions of making sure that Corey's shop would not suffer too greatly from his absence.


	34. Loopholes

Chapter Thirty-Four

Loopholes

As Saturday morning finally arrived, Corey couldn't help but be happy to see the end of one of the longest weeks of his life, despite the fact that there seemed to be little improvement possible in the week ahead. He kicked the top bunk and crawled out from underneath, stretching. Above him, Taylor sat up, reaching absently for an end table that wasn't there. Corey handed him up his glasses.

"Morning, Aramis."

"How long until bathroom privileges?" Taylor yawned.

"How would I know, they don't allow us watches," Corey said. "Use the bedpan."

"Not likely, I do have some pride left," Taylor said, hopping down.

"Hullo, Porthos! You awake?"

"Awake? I haven't been asleep," Doug said from the last cell, pacing it restlessly. "Why haven't we heard anything? Essie predicted she'd go into labor late yesterday! Why haven't I had word?"

"Doug, we're in the Tower. We're not likely to get instant Owl service, are we?" Taylor said. "Relax, Doug, I'm sure she's fine."

"That's all right for you to say, you're not expecting!" Doug snapped.

"Yes, that's an experience I'm never going to know," Taylor said somberly.

"I'm sure your number will come up," Corey said.

"Let's just say ours isn't in the lotto jar," Taylor said. "Danyelle can't have children."

"Are you sure?" Corey frowned.

"Positive," Taylor said with a sigh. "We've been to the top Healers in the field, even Witolf attempted to help."

"I'm sorry, mate, I didn't know," Doug said.

"No, it's okay, it's fine. I'm sure you'll all keep us busy in godchildren to spoil, and maybe someday when our hours aren't so crazy we'll adopt. And speaking of which, I admit I'm getting as anxious to hear how Essie's doing as you are."

"Hey, I'm anxious too, I'm going to be an uncle, after all," Corey put in, but the conversation was interrupted as the jailer came around to supervise their shower time. By the time they had been settled back into their cells, Doug was even more anxious than ever, but soon another guard came in, holding the magically sealed door open.

"Visitor time," he said with a smile, looking at the door. "This does make us even now, doesn't it, Professor Craw?"

"It does indeed," Jennifer said, smiling enigmatically at her ex-student as she stepped in with a bundle in her arms. "Good morning, boys," she said as she stepped over to Doug's cell, carefully unwrapping the blankets. "It may be a bit gloomy outside, but for someone it's a very bright new day!"

"Is it a girl?" Doug said anxiously, pressing up against the bars as Jennifer came closer.

"As predicted," Jennifer said mischievously. "May I have the honor in presenting Winifred Angela Brim, the very beautiful and healthy eight pound girl." Doug reached out and touched her hand nervously, flinching a little when she moved. "Now, don't be shy, you won't break her, especially from there."

"Winifred?" Taylor asked, wondering if that wasn't a bit old fashioned.

"My mother's birth name," Corey murmured.

"I wish I could have been home," Doug said softly. "How's Essie?"

"Fine. Rather excited, actually, we had a devil of a time getting her to settle down. Angela's with her now," Jennifer said.

"How's Danny?" Taylor asked.

"I'm not sure, I haven't made it over to the other side of the Tower yet," Jennifer said, gazing at the sleeping baby.

"Hey, bring her over here too! He's not allowed to hog her," Corey protested as he tried futilely to get a better angle.

"All right, but only for a moment. I really must be getting her back," Jennifer said, walking over to them. Then from under the outside blanket she took out a folded note and slipped it through the bars, and gratefully Corey took it, letting Winifred hold onto his finger just a moment before retreating to his bunk to read it. "I'm glad the three of you are still in fairly high spirits."

"Considering we're facing one to ten?" Doug said dryly.

"Well, it is our first offense, Porthos, so I'd figure it'd be lower rather than higher," Taylor said.

"A year or two may sound all right to you," Doug said, "but look at my daughter. In a year she'll be saying her first words, crawling, maybe even walking. In two she'll be all over the place, maybe even out of diapers, and I'll have missed it all."

"This is all my fault," Corey murmured, getting up and putting his letter away. "I can't believe I got you all into this."

"None of us are blaming you, Corey," Taylor protested.

"No, Corey, we were doing what we had to do," Doug sighed, leaning his arms against the crossbar. "I just hope my daughter understands when she gets older."

"Now, try not to lose hope," Jennifer said, wrapping Winifred up again. "You have a lot of people on your side. The public is on your side. Even the Ministry is unofficially sympathetic considering the circumstances. In fact, Counselor Vallid says that that the Baileys can counter-sue for not giving them notice, and they can also be brought out to testify that those were indeed their things and you had their permission, which would lower the charge from burglary to unlawful entry."

"Well, that definitely sounds like an improvement," Taylor agreed.

"Any reduction works for me at this point," Doug said. Just then the door to the block opened again, and all of them were surprised to see Danny walk in with several Tower guards behind her. "Hullo? What's this? Aren't you on the wrong side?"

"Consider it a rescue mission," Danny said as the guards headed for their cell doors. "My uncle has agreed to drop the charges, and the Ministry feels no desire to prosecute."

"Dropped the charges? How very un-Malfoy like," Taylor frowned.

"He wouldn't do it out of the goodness of his heart," Corey agreed. "What did you have to do, Danny?" Danny sighed.

"Well, if you must know, I had to sell him all my stock in Malfoy industries for knuts on the galleon and sign a statement saying that I am not allowed to now or ever gain any profit or advantage from my family associations for the rest of my life. In short, I'm officially disinherited," Danny said as the doors came open. Doug went over to Jennifer, who immediately put the baby in his arms despite his protest over holding her.

"Well, I know how you feel about it Danny, but I wouldn't be honest if I didn't tell you I'm relieved," Taylor said, going over to his wife and hugging her. "I didn't like all of those attachments to the man. We didn't need the money."

"I know, I know," Danny sighed. "Of course to me, it was never about the money. To tell the truth, the fact that my uncle made it about money made it all the easier to let go. The four of you are my real family, you always have been."

"Well, all for one and one for all, you know," Doug grinned at her. "So what if our disguises are gone forever? The mask is gone, but that doesn't mean we're any different."

"Except perhaps the fact that Porthos is a Daddy now," Corey grinned.

"Heaven help us all," Taylor teased in his Aramis voice, causing the others to chuckle, each privately deciding that perhaps things wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

Severus had quite a number of misgivings about going to visit the excavation company that weekend, and yet he felt compelled to do so, knowing how close the goblins were getting to the site. He found the main camp quiet and nearly empty; only Rinan Scur was there left to guard. He got up from the table when Severus came in to greet him.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to come," Scur admitted.

"I suppose you've heard then," Severus said.

"Both of the loss of Witolf and what happened after. How are your son and his friends?" Scur asked.

"In well over their heads as usual," Severus sighed, sitting down. "Now would you mind giving me a briefing? For although it seems to have been a week for you, I feel as if I've been gone ten years."

"Well, first, I think you'll want to hear about what Harry was able to acquire," Scur said, taking out a folded piece of paper and handing it to him. "This is a copy of the tunnels the goblins have constructed. I made another copy that scales with our maps," he added, taking out a thin sheet of rice paper, lining it up over the top of theirs. "The red line is the claim line. As you can see, there is definitely some distance between where the main tunnel ends and where the line is."

"So part of the mine really does fall on their side," Severus murmured.

"Only on the side of the lower tunnels… the 'poor man's side,' as it were…none of the other tunnels come into range. Of course, if that's the answer to the riddle and that is where the true riches lie…"

"Yes, but we don't know that," Severus said, "And the majority of the mine does fall upon our side. But considering that they may break through any moment now, it's hardly going to matter. They will be rushing to make sure they explore as much of the caverns as possible before we can even get in. How is the progress at the entrance coming?"

"Fist and Brogan have been working on it nearly non-stop," Scur sighed. "The others are at the village camp finishing up the reconstruction. Heather predicts they'll have the last bit of it back in place by this evening, though. But it wasn't a total waste. I found this among the ruins."

Scur got up and picked up what at first appeared to be a slab of plain rock, but when he sat it down, Severus could plainly see that it had been carefully chiseled out of what must have been the wall of an ancient building. Although the script upon it was small and faded, Severus could make out the same characters as was written on the map. Reluctantly, Severus got out his glasses, but the action merely made Scur seem all the more intent at what they were looking at. Taking out a scrap piece of paper, Severus began to work out the words that they thought they knew, jotting all the way down.

"I'm going to start some coffee. Want some?" Scur asked after he saw what he was trying to do.

"Thank you," Severus said distractedly, frowning at his work. He had searched for the signs in the Riddle, attempting to place their meanings to the symbols, but it became very clear by the bottom of the page where three of those randomly put together made no sense at all. "Of course it doesn't match," Severus muttered, shaking his head. "The grammar isn't the same. Who knows if we've even matched the right set of runes to the right word?"

"I couldn't agree more," Scur said. "In fact, I tried something similar to what you're doing now already…as well as attempting it with Egyptian, Hebrew, and even Zulu, since it's the root of several other tribal languages. I do know this must mean, 'man,' since it's used more than once in the riddle. I had Heather look at it, but she couldn't match it up to any of the languages she's researched either."

"What I want to know is just how they were able to break through that," Severus said. "Earsinge carries a notebook with him…but does it contain the key to the grammar of the language of well? How was he able to piece it together?"

"Well, I don't know, but I know a simple way that we can," Scur said, nudging the stone towards Severus. "Care to give your daughter a look at it?"

"No, I care to do nothing of the sort! Perhaps it would help us temporarily, but what do we do when we come across the next thing that crops up? Besides, you don't know my daughter. The moment she had one taste of what we're looking at, she would do everything in her power to find out more, and I'm not willing to put her in danger over this."

"Well, she hardly has to know what it is, does she? Copy it down on another piece of paper and tell her it's French, or Japanese, or whatever other language you can think of! If she can only read English, she's hardly going to know it came from here unless you tell her," Scur said.

Severus stared at him in surprise for a long time, before his black eyes started to spark with coal-lit fire and he quickly stood up as if getting ready to leave. But just then Harry came in, his skin pale and face grim and seemingly out of breath.

"We have a major problem," Harry said as he walked up to them. "Thomas has been kidnapped."

"What again?" Scur grunted.

"No," Harry said quickly. "This time it's for real."

* * *

Alicia folded her arms stubbornly, a sure sign that the end of her cooperation was looming near. Alexandria sighed loudly, glancing at their reflection in the glass of the Gym in exasperation before looking back at her.

"Oh, come on, one more try," Alex pleaded.

"No, I am not putting my hand in that hat again. Every time I do, Tes shocks me," Alicia said. "Can't you get a rabbit?"

"Nobody will let me use their rabbit," Alex pouted.

"Well, I shouldn't have let you use my hat for that other trick," Alicia said grumpily.

"Look, I'm sorry about the milk, okay?" Alex said. "I'll even put down the top hat for the moment. All I need you to do is pull the handkerchief out of my sleeve."

"Is it disgusting?" Alicia squinted.

"No, really, just pull, trust me," Alex coaxed. Alicia looked at her dubiously then finally rolled her eyes and did so, only to find another handkerchief and another and another, pulling them all out until there was a large heap on the floor. "Well, what do you think? Isn't that a great trick?"

"These are Morfinn's, aren't they?" Alicia said sounding unimpressed.

"Yes, I borrowed them, but don't worry, they're clean. I think," Alex added with a grin.

"I'm done," Alicia declared, turning around and heading out of the room.

"No wait!" Alex said, attempting to grab her stuff. Tes jumped out of the hat before she could tuck it under her arm, following her sister out. "Come on, Alicia! I can't possibly get better if we don't practice."

"We should probably be studying. Didn't you say you had more homework to do for Professor Singh?" Alicia said.

"No, just extra work for talking out of turn again, but I don't think he's here. Where are you going?"

"To the library to join Andrew and Halbert," Alicia said.

"Oh, let me drop these off first and I'll join you!" Alex protested. "Perhaps I'll find some more books on illusions in the Muggle section." Alicia rolled her eyes and shook her head but dutifully waited for her older sister, stopping to get a few books of her own before the two of them headed towards the library.

As they walked down the main stairway prepared to turn down the hall, Alex caught the sight of someone heading the other direction, and called out to him in surprise. Harry turned around as they walked up to him, greeting them.

"Oh, hello. Sorry, girls, I'm in a bit of a hurry at the moment. Have you seen your mother?" Harry asked.

"No, but I know she's in the lab," Alex said, "Rose had detention with her today for leaving the school without permission."

"I doubt he needed to know that part," Alicia said rolling her eyes.

"Thanks," Harry said simply, waving to them as he headed down the hall.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" Alex said curiously.

"I'm sure if we were supposed to know he'd tell us," Alicia said impatiently. "Come on."

Harry hurried down the stairs, pausing momentarily to peer in one of the twelve cauldrons that Rose was cleaning. Her sleeves were wisely pulled up, her arms covered with black from the outside of the large bowls, and she seemed to be looking forlornly at the stack of them she had left to do.

"Not sure that's going to pass inspection," Harry said apologetically, and Rose frowned.

"No?"

"Look under the rims," he suggested, running his finger around it and showing her. Exasperated, Rose blew her hair out of her face. Just then, Jennifer poked her head out to find out what was going on, her stern face turning to one of surprise when she saw Harry.

"Well, what are you doing here?" Jennifer said. "I thought you were with Severus."

"Something happened you need to know about," Harry said, taking out a letter and walking over to her. "This is from Severus."

"You'd better come in," Jennifer said, stepping out of the way of the door, focusing in on Rose as he past her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Keep at it."

"Yes, Professor Craw," Rose mumbled, reluctantly returning to her work.

"So what's going on?" Jennifer asked as she closed the door.

"Your father's missing again," Harry said, watching her open the note. "Severus says he plans to stay until he's not only found but sent home."

"But there's nothing in here about that at all!" Jennifer said with frustration, Harry shrugging. "In fact, it's purely professional! 'Jennifer, I'm concerned that Alexandria might be slipping in her other classes, would you please as her advisor review her homework.' And that's all he says! What is he hiding from me?"

"I promise he didn't tell me to hold anything back from you," Harry reassured her.

"Oh, I'm sure of that. He wouldn't send you in this den unless you were unarmed. Whatever he's holding back from me he's also holding from you, because he knows there's no way you could keep information from me. I can read you like a book, you're much too honest," Jennifer said. "No, there's more, I'm sure of it."

"Well, he did send me with letters for Boulderdash and Dumbledore as well," Harry admitted.

"Then I'm going with you, because I'm certainly not going to be happy until I know what's really going on," Jennifer said.

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Harry said as she opened the door.

"I'm sure he does, but the deal was that I wouldn't interfere as long as he kept me in the loop," Jennifer said. "I'm not about to be treated like a pawn in his chess game." Harry wisely decided not to comment as she led him out, momentarily surprised to see Rose there. "Oh! Um, well, I think you've done enough today, you can go," Jennifer said, shooing her with a wave of the hand. "And no more leaving the school without permission."

"Yes, Professor," Rose said, standing up and refastening her hair. Jennifer and Harry didn't wait, heading out the door and out of sight. Relieved to have her detention done at last, Rose headed up to the prefect bathroom to wash up before working her way down to her library.

It was easy to find the table where Alex, Andrew, Alicia, Halbert and Morfinn were studying, for Alex was whispering loud enough to earn a lot of glares from the librarian, while Andrew and Halbert were taking turns giggling at what each other were saying, apparently working on jokes for their talent show routine. Out of the group only Morfinn and Alicia seemed to be taking their studies seriously, but Alicia was obviously getting annoyed with the constant noise of her friend blowing his nose.

"Hello everyone!" Rose said with a smile.

"Done already?" Alex said with surprise.

"Yes, some while ago. Professor Craw let me go early when Harry Potter showed up," Rose said.

"Really? Did you hear anything about why he's here?" Alex asked excitedly. Andrew and Alicia exchanged glances.

"Well, not much, except that Harry had a letter for her from Snape. Your mother seemed quite agitated when they left, though. I think they went to see Dumbledore," Rose said.

"I wonder what would be that important," Alex murmured thoughtfully.

"Rose, do you think you could help me study for my Defense test? Nobody else is helping me at all," Alicia said critically.

"Sure," Rose said, pulling up a chair beside her.

"Do you think Harry might have found something more out about that attack?" Alex said.

"I'm sure if he had anything substantial you'd hear about it," Andrew assured her. "Do you want to help us choose which costume to go with?" Alex turned her attention then to the book on theatre Halbert had gotten out, and the three of them were busy looking at pictures of old fashioned acts when Aurelius appeared with more than half a dozen books in his arms, nodding to them and pausing to peer at the book on his way to the desk.

"You call that studying?" Aurelius said. "Don't any of you have any respect at all for education?"

"Sure, Rel, but Halbert and I finished it already. Besides, the talent show is next week," Andrew said. "Are you planning to study all of those?"

"No, of course not. These are for Xavier and some of the other Magic Industry majors studying in our rooms."

"Does that mean you're not going to study with us?" Alicia frowned.

"Well, maybe," Aurelius said uncomfortably. "I'll have to see what Stock and Heph are doing first."

"This is really getting old," Alex said, frowning at him. "How come you never do anything without consulting your house anymore? Doesn't family mean anything to you anymore? Oh, wait, we already know the answer to that."

"Oh, Alex!" Alicia protested, Andrew shaking his head at her.

"There's a difference between supporting family and humoring family," Aurelius said. "Besides, it's hardly like we're going to be together forever, is it? A few more years of school and we'll all have to face the real world with whatever we take with us from here."

"All the more reason to enjoy the time we have left together," Andrew said. Aurelius rolled his eyes and turned to leave when Jennifer and Harry came in, apparently heading for Boulderdash's office. Jennifer glanced around to wave to Aurelius then spotted the others. Excusing herself from Harry, she stepped over to them.

"Hello, everyone," Jennifer said, smiling warmly at them before turning her attention to Alex. "Would you mind coming to my office before dinner tonight? And I'd like you to bring your books and homework from each of your classes with you."

"My homework?" Alex said in complete surprise.

"Yes, it's come to my attention that at least one of your teachers thinks you've been slacking off a bit ever since you learned about your light requirements for next year. You know, Alex, the fact that you need not continue certain classes does not mean what you learn this year doesn't matter, and a bad OWL mark in any subject still looks bad on your record, whether you need it or not."

"Mum…Professor, I haven't been slacking off in any of my classes, really!" Alex said.

"Well, just to be sure let's meet before dinner anyhow. I'll not have you intentionally not living up to your potential. It'll only hurt yourself, you know," Jennifer said before joining Harry at Boulderdash's office door.

"Well, wasn't that very odd!" Alex declared as they went in. Alicia, Morfinn and Rose shook their head.

"Sounded to me like she was saying the same thing Aurelius just was," Andrew said in agreement.

"No," Aurelius said suddenly, making them all look at him in surprise. "There was something odd about that. Several somethings in fact. I'll be back down in a moment," he promised, heading out the door.

"For once we agree on something," Alex said with a nod. Alicia and Andrew glanced at each other before looking up, wondering if the castle was going to crumble around them in response.

"Well? What does it say?" Jennifer asked impatiently after Harry gave the goblin librarian the note.

"It merely asks if I can get my brother to get a list of bank employees during the fall of last year," Boulderdash said.

"Moody's been trying to get that list from the bank for months," Harry said. "Griphook keeps coming up with excuses not to give it to him."

"You see? He is onto something," Jennifer said, pacing. "And the fact that he warned Dumbledore he may not be able to make next week's classes…during the last major tests before OWLS and NEWTS no less! Harry, are you planning to go back down there?"

"Well, not right away. I want to head home and see Ginny and the kids," Harry protested. "I haven't seen them all week."

"Of course, Harry. I have to see Alex tonight anyhow. Let me know when you're ready to go down there."

"You don't really think that Dumbledore is going to let two of his best teachers skip one of the most important weeks of school, do you?" Boulderdash said, eyeing Jennifer skeptically.

"It's my father whose missing, not his," Jennifer said irritably. "If Severus doesn't give me a full update by tonight, I'm discussing it with the Headmaster."

At dinner, Alex ate next to Mandria as she normally did but ate quickly, for the four Snapes had agreed to meet after her meeting with Jennifer for an update. Rose was also curious as to what had happened, and reluctantly Aurelius allowed her in as well.

"For," Rose pointed out to him, "If I'm not practically family now, I just may be soon enough."

It also gave them a quiet place to meet in the way of the Elf Willow, its full bloom blossoms chiming prettily in the winds and giving them a little light to see by.

"It's all right, I think," Alex said when she finally came out and joined the others. "I mean, she didn't ask any strange questions or anything at all and did just what she said she wanted to. We went over my homework, offered suggestions on how I should improve it, then let me go."

"But that doesn't explain why she felt she had to do it now," Aurelius said. "Why not wait until it was more convenient? Perhaps wait until one of her conference times during the week, or something? I mean, here she is, obviously preoccupied with whatever it is that Harry is up to, and yet she still felt obligated to take care of this petty little school duty…it's not like her."

"You're right, when you put it that way, it does sound odd," Rose said. "If something is up, she tends to put everything on hold."

"Unless something about it directly tied in to whatever it was they were working on," Aurelius said thoughtfully, gazing at Alex.

"What a silly idea! What in the world would my homework have to do with anything! Besides, like I said, she didn't find anything wrong with it!" Alex said, a hint of exasperation in her voice.

"Wait a moment, what about that work you had to do for Professor Singh?" Alicia asked.

"Oh, that? Oh, that's nothing, just busywork he gives me when I talk too much," Alex said waving it off. "I do that in his classroom." Aurelius squinted.

"What sort of busy work?"

"Well, don't look at me like that, I told you about it before," Alex said impatiently. "He makes me copy out of random books off his shelf and makes me stay completely silent while I do so. I think he thinks it'll teach me class discipline or something."

"Transfiguration books?" Aurelius asked.

"No, not really, just random books. I dare think I've seen everything from history to cookbooks to myths and how-to books… extremely boring, really, why?"

"And has anyone else ever been in the classroom while you were doing this busywork?" Aurelius asked, his face becoming more increasingly alarmed by the second.

"No," Alex frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that? Whatever is wrong?"

"What's wrong is that I think we just found out who the human is helping the goblins," Aurelius said, glancing at the others. "I'd lay my last knut that those books she's copying wasn't written in English."

"But how are we going to find out for sure?" Rose said quickly. "No offense, Rel, but these are pretty stiff accusations against a teacher, and it's being made on pure conjecture."

"Do you want me to get us into the classroom?" Alicia suggested brightly. "He did leave for the weekend again."

"He keeps it locked, and I dare think if there is something he's hiding in there, it's probably charmed against intruders as well," Rose said. "I don't know about you but the last thing I need on my record this year is getting caught in a teacher's rooms when we shouldn't be."

"Rose is right," Aurelius said, "But there is something else we can do. Because I'm quite sure that he has a window open in the main classroom for post over the weekend."

"Yes? So?" Rose asked puzzledly while the other three Snapes grinned at each other.

"So, it's time we all discover how well the artful Dodger lives up to his name," Aurelius said with a smile.


	35. The Riddle of the King

Chapter Thirty-Five

The Riddle of the King

It had been early that morning that the hard layer of rock melted into a layer of limestone, and the goblins excitedly worked to open a small hole that had finally broken through the crust, carefully widening it. Grimpenmire had disappeared for a good half an hour before he had returned smelling heavily of alcohol, his fellow diggers grimacing disgustedly as he rejoined them. Foreman Napescar roughly kicked him in the backside.

"Get to work, you no good drunkard! If you didn't put in twice the work these others do, you'd have been long gone by now. I'm tired of your constant breaks!" Napescar snarled at him.

"You wouldn't have made it this far without me," Grimpenmire glowered at him, showing his fangs before taking his pick to stone. The speed at which he worked even under the influence was impressive to say the least, and the disgruntled foreman turned back to his clipboard and measurements.

It was tedious to watch and backbreaking to do, but goblins knew their work well. A shadow came up behind them and Napescar looked up to see Earsinge, nodding to him.

"And how is our prisoner?" Napescar asked.

"Strangely calm," Earsinge mused. Napescar growled deep in his throat.

"I don't like it," he said in a low voice. "Wand or no wand, that man is dangerous. We should slit his throat while we can. After all, he is a known criminal on parole and he was trespassing. No one would question it."

"He is one of the few wizards that was ever civil to me. I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep on talking about murdering him," Earsinge snapped. "Send someone after me the moment that opening is large enough to crawl through."

Napescar turned back to the dig seething in anger as Earsinge walked back out, glaring at Grimpenmire who had stopped curiously to watch the exchange.

"What are you looking at? Get to work!" Napescar snapped loudly, taking out his fury on the poor goblin who meekly turned back to the tunneling.

Finally after another hour the hole widened to the point where someone could scramble through, and the rest of the goblins quickly volunteered Grimpenmire to go first. After taking a healthy swig out of the canister at his side, Grimpenmire climbed up to cautiously peer in, only to find himself being pushed through.

"How's the air in there?" Napescar asked.

"I'm still alive," Grimpenmire said dryly. "Hand me a lantern."

"Wait! Don't light it yet!" Napescar ordered. "Wait until we're out of range." Grimpenmire duly waited for the goblins to back away, burping in annoyance before finally lighting the lantern and raising it up to the walls. Where the tunnel dead-ended were several markings on the wall that he didn't recognize. The work was quite coarse, and he ran his hand across it thoughtfully before he heard a muffled call. Reluctantly, Grimpenmire went back to the opening and to give the all clear before taking some steps further in. Just a few steps later, he found a much wider tunnel heading left and right.

The tunnel had obviously been heavily used, and crude stone pillars further supported the intersection. Along the wall, a corroded trough of burnt reddish stone followed the main corridor, and in the center was a curious walkway made out of cut stone. Grimpenmire knelt to feel its smooth surface when he heard footsteps behind him.

"At last," Earsinge said as he stepped over to where Grimpenmire was crouched. "What magnificent technology they had for the time! You see? They would wet down this center stone and pull up loads of rocks at a time by hoisting them up the slide."

"There was some notation on the wall back there, Chairman," Grimpenmire said, and immediately Earsinge and Napescar went to look at it. Several other goblins held up lights, admiring the tunnel work.

"I don't recognize it," Earsinge frowned.

"If I might offer an opinion, I have a feeling it's numeric," Napescar said, Earsinge squinting at him. "This tunnel was never finished, which means it was probably the end of a gold vein, and this notation probably informs them at which depth it ended. I may not know as much as you about ancient cultures," Napescar added with a toothy grin. "But I do know mines. You will probably find such notation every now and again throughout the tunnels."

"Well, since you know so much about them, perhaps you should lead?" Earsinge said icily.

"Do you think I'm a fool? I've seen too much of those notes of yours to charge right in, not with all those magic traps about."

"Magical traps?" Grimpenmire squinted. "You mean I could have been…"

"Fried, yes, but this sort of operation is never without risks," Napescar sneered. Several of the other goblins snickered as well. Grimpenmire took another swig out of his decanter.

"I don't believe it," he said at last. "No foolish wizard or sorcerer or whatever they were in those days would put traps anywhere a worker might fall upon it."

"Possibly, but it's not gold we're looking for," Earsinge said, taking out the map.

"Not looking for gold?" Grimpenmire frowned in surprise. All of the other workers had frowned as well.

"As if our claim would allow it! The gold is the property of whoever holds the land, in this case, the rather dysfunctional government. It is artifacts that we have come for, artifacts worth more than all the gold in these hills ten times over. Do you know what Solomon prized above gold?" Earsinge asked. Grimpenmire thought about it.

"Women?"

"Knowledge, you drunken fool, knowledge," Earsinge said, pulling out the journal from under his shirt. "This was my father's…he spent quite some time in Jordan and found an interesting passage in some old texts indicating that not long before the king's death the mine at Ophir was sealed, and 'upon sealing it, the wisdom of the king was said to have left before him.' The secret to his knowledge, imagine that! Many would give a king's ransom just to have a hint to what that might contain!" Earsinge said, laughing dryly at the pun. "The map I carry was a key to where that treasure lies, and I am here to find it before those that betrayed my father do. Only then will the rest of you get your share. Now move, we've wasted enough time. We must find out where that treasure lies, and now!"

* * *

Finding an abandoned classroom was the easy part. Getting the window undone was a trickier, and when it did open it made an unnervingly loud noise that made both of the boys peer out the door fully expecting Mr. Filch to come out of nowhere to investigate.

"Shut the door," Rose hissed at them then joined Alex and Alicia where they stood peering at the window, waiting impatiently to see Dodger reappear. Every bat, bird, and owl that passed caused one of them to declare 'there he is' before having to take it back.

"No one said it'd be instantaneous," Alex said, but it was quite obvious that she was getting nervous as well.

"Do you suppose he might have gotten caught?" Alicia asked nervously.

"Doubtful," Aurelius said, but before he could say more Alex pointed him out, and this time it wasn't a false alarm. Alex caught the book as he tossed it in mid air, nearly dropping it out of the window as she tried to bring it in, reading the cover. "Yes, this is definitely one of them. Get more, Dodger."

"Easy for you to say, luv! You try flying about carrying something half your size and see how you do!" Dodger complained, but went to get another book anyhow.

"It's not English, even though it's written in English characters. Any guesses?" Aurelius said, the others shrugging. "I don't think it's old, though, what is it?"

"A study on magic trends post 1000 A.D. Rather boring really," Alex admitted.

"But definitely not English," Aurelius said, watching expectantly as Dodger brought another book in.

"This one was nice, it was about wedding customs in different cultures," Alex said.

"Really?" Rose said with interest, and then wrinkled her nose when she saw the text.

"Sanskrit," Aurelius said. "Definitely not English. Alex, tell Dodger to look for something old or handwritten."

"I can't believe this. I mean, it never occurred to me that anyone would try something like this let alone a teacher," Alex said, growing angry with herself.

"It's not your fault, you didn't know," Rose said.

"We still don't know for sure," Andrew pointed out. "We won't unless we can actually find a book that has that ancient language in it."

"It'd be impossible to do it this way. He has too many books…even assuming he'd have them in plain sight where Dodger could pick it out at random…in fact, if it were me, I'd keep something like that on me," Aurelius sighed.

"So what do we do?" Alex said.

"I think we wait until you go to work on your extra credit again and arrange for someone to come in," Aurelius suggested. Nodding to him and each other, it was decided that it was the best plan they had.

But that plan, as it turned out, would never come about; for even as the five of them wrapped up their plans and headed to their beds, Lost Empire Excavation was busy exploring the lowest depths of the mine and one of their friends was about to disappear.

"Not a sign, not one sign," Earsinge grumped as they wound through the tunnels. The slats and troughs had stopped some time ago, and the tunnels had become increasingly rough. "We should be approaching the last cavern of the poor man's end of the mines. Only the lowest of the low would be working so far in, or so deep."

"The air isn't reliable down here," Grimpenmire was quick to point out, gazing at the low flame on his lantern. "Doesn't smell so good either."

"All I smell is you," Napescar scowled. "Get out of my way!" But just as he passed him he found that Earsinge and the goblins ahead had stopped short in the entrance of a small natural cavern. The air was definitely rancid, but the goblins hungrily began to edge forward.

"There's gold in here, I can feel it!" Knifetongue said, his hands twitching.

"Look over here! I think I see a vein!" one of the others said, and the diggers gathered around with interest.

"That is not what we are here for!" Earsinge said angrily. "Come, it's not here."

Grimpenmire took another swig as he followed the disgruntled goblins back out, agreeing with everything they murmured to him about their two leaders as they headed up the passage. The tempers seemed to improve as the air did, but as they came to another crossroads, another sort of edginess began to creep in.

"Do you hear something?" Napescar said when Earsinge paused at the intersection to study the map. "Like hammers and picks?" Earsinge tilted his head a bit, frowning at him.

"I don't hear anything, but we should be fairly close to the entrance," he shrugged, tapping the map with a frown. "According to this, this should be a T here, unless I overshot. Were there any other passages since we came out of the lower mine?"

"Only a few short dead ends, Chairman," Grimpenmire said.

"There! You heard that, didn't you?"

"No, but my ears aren't as tuned as yours, Foreman. Perhaps what you're hearing are the Wizards working on the front entrance."

"Wizards don't use picks," Napescar snorted.

"They would if they were getting close and wanted to be careful of cave-ins," Earsinge pointed out. Napescar grew very grave.

"Then we had better move. Which way?" Napescar said.

Earsinge swung his lantern up, and suddenly recognized the Riddle, scrolled in groups of characters above three of the doors. The fourth door merely had a faint picture of a sunburst drawn upon it.

"I'm not sure as yet. That way is the rich man's path," Earsinge mused, gesturing to the one sloping gently upwards. "But this one isn't on the map at all. It's not even offered as a choice, or is it?" Earsinge murmured, his expression suddenly changing dramatically. "A wise man would choose his own path," he said to himself and then went down the unmapped corridor.

It wasn't too long before he realized that he must be on the right path, for above a pair of finished stone columns leading deeper in was another phrase in the strange coded language.

"The hammering is getting louder instead of fainter," Napescar said nervously.

"Quiet, I'm trying to decipher this," Earsinge said irritably, thumbing through his papers. "There's a reference about past present and future here… and some sort of warning against not respecting one's ancestors."

"Can't you be a bit more clearer?"

"Not without consulting my translator, no," Earsinge snapped, carefully writing down the runes, and then he murmured something under his breath. Cautiously he stepped up and passed the arch, gazing inside a tunnel with carefully finished walls, each containing six stone slabs of stone intentionally placed within. Upon the other side of the tunnel on an arch was another set of runes, which Earsinge walked up to and inspected as the others entered more slowly behind him.

"This one is a bit easier. I have it written here in full," Earsinge said, looking at his notes. "It says beware of the price of greed."

"That hammering is getting much louder now," Napescar complained.

"I hear it too," Knifetongue admitted. "Strange construction for a mine."

"For a mine yes, but not for a catacombs," Napescar said darkly. "If I'm not mistaken, those are sarcophagi encased in the walls."

Grimpenmire took another swig of his drink.

"I think perhaps we had better move on," Forkfang suggested with a toothy grin.

"Don't be fools! The dead can't harm you," Earsinge said.

As if something heard him, the room suddenly filled with spirits as they one by one came out their tombs, many with picks and hammers in one hand and stolen gold in the other, their faces strangely puffy and bloated as they descended upon the goblins who cried out in surprise and terror.

"What is the matter with you? Where are your backbones? Come this way!" Earsinge ordered them firmly as he stepped through the next arch. There was something compelling about the sound of his voice; and that mixed with the sheer desire to get away prompted even Napescar to follow the order, running past him in attempt to get away despite his warning to stop.

But suddenly they did, for as they went into the next arched passage they found themselves standing in a room full of golden bars, statues and necklaces and chests of huge uncut diamonds. Earsinge frowned when he entered, unable to stop the rest from diving into them.

"You fools! What are you doing? Put that back at once!"

"What's wrong, Earsinge, afraid we may actually get our fair share this way?" Knifetongue glowered, pulling his stack over to him. Even Napescar had bought a bag out and was scooping up as much as he could with a gloved hand as two others began to get into a fist fight over the same apple-sized gold medallion. Only Grimpenmire stood and stared at them all, and Earsinge glanced at him with a frown.

"I only love the bottle," Grimpenmire explained.

"Don't just stand there, help me drag them out of here!" Earsinge ordered.

"All right, but I'm not touching Napescar. He's psychotic," Grimpenmire said before going to break the other two goblins up. Growling in anger, Earsinge lunged at the foreman and tossed him into the pile. Some stopped to watch the ferocity which the two were going at it, wondering if one or both of them weren't going to end up dead.

Suddenly, everything in the room dimmed dramatically as the bright reflections off their lanterns ended. Blinking in surprise, they stared at the piles of lead around them, then at Earsinge who stood up, looking furious.

"We must not fight amongst ourselves!" he declared. "This is absolute madness! We have better things to do than fight each other!"

"That may be…on this occasion," Napescar said icily, searching for his gloves before getting up. "But once this is all over, you and I have a score to settle."

"Fair enough," Earsinge said coldly back. "I think we had better move on now." Glumly gazing at the pile of lead, Grimpenmire took a moment to put a diamond in his pocket, while none of the others wanted to have anything to do with it again as they walked into the next tunnel. But Earsinge had paused again for this time the stone pillars opened into a double arch. Cautiously he entered a wide circular room, embraced with beautiful blue tiles with small black circles within them. "This is the work of Egyptian artisans," he murmured as he stepped in.

Several small cubicles were in the room as well, but except for the one placed around a small bubbling spring it was hard to say what their original purpose was. Across from them stood an imposing entrance held up by two carved pillars with words chiseled into the stone and inlaid in pure gold.

"Well? What about that one?" Napescar said impatiently.

"It's not coded. It's in Hebrew," Earsinge murmured. "I bequeathe my knowledge onto my children, that they may one day seek enlightenment upon their own path to wisdom. May it stay safe from trespassers, and may trespassers seek not the path of death."

"Death curses do not frighten me, we're goblins after all," Napescar snorted starting forward, but Earsinge stopped him from getting closer.

"Think of who we are dealing with. These curses are not limited by the rules of modern magic. And even if these traps were the typical Egyptian curses we have dealt with in the past, which I doubt, this is not a man we can risk dishonoring."

"Earsinge, he was a man," Napescar snarled. "Has your blood thinned so much that you are just as much human as he is?"

"If you wish to face your own demise, so be it. Go ahead." Earsinge challenged.

"Fine! Then we will show just how ridiculous you are being by taking the best of anything within there! Grimpenmire, why don't you go in and get something," Napescar said.

Grimpenmire looked at the entrance skeptically, then took a big drink out of his canteen as if stirring himself to go in, smacking his lips before giving them a toothy grin.

"No."

"What?" Napescar said, twirling around. "Didn't you hear what I just said? I'm ordering you to go in there, now!"

"You would have to get me more than stone drunk than to desecrate that entrance with my cold corpse, Napescar. Find some other guinea pig," he sneered. The other goblin diggers suddenly became interested in the architecture, and Napescar's rage turned back to Earsinge.

"So what you're trying to tell me is that we've gone through all this trouble, spent all this time and money to find this place and you, our fearless leader, decide to turn back now?" Napescar snarled. "There's no way we will be able to find a descendent of this guy before those damnable wizards break through!" Earsinge looked thoughtful.

"Wait here. Better yet, bring camp in here. But don't go near that arch," he warned, heading back out. "I'll be back with an option as soon as I can."

"So," Grimpenmire said thoughtfully once Earsinge had gone. "Who is it who wants to run past those ghosts and get the prisoner and the others in here?" A round of fingers went up, and Grimpenmire once again found himself unanimously picked to do the dirty work. Sighing loudly, he took another swig, hiccupped, and headed out of the room.

Thomas paced within the small supply tent they had rigged for his prison, glaring at his guard who would bare his fangs in response. The camp was extremely quiet, so it didn't take much thought to figure out that neither Napescar nor Earsinge were there. There was also an elevation of the tension and excitement. Only a small handful of goblins remained, and Thomas easily deduced from that that they had gotten into the mine.

Just before dawn there was shouting and a great deal of noise outside, and Thomas paused his pacing and waited intently until Grimpenmire appeared in the door, looking even more bedraggled than usual.

"Cuff him up, Toetag, we're moving the camp inside. Earsinge's orders," Grimpenmire said.

"Inside? The mine?" Thomas asked.

"Shuddap," Toetag growled, roughly putting him in the cuffs even though Thomas made no move to fight him.

"Yes, we found a room we cannot enter. There are dangers along the way," Grimpenmire said, leading them out. "We will run through the first few rooms as quick as we can; cursed ghosts guard the room. They are nothing but trouble. Past threats. Present dangers. And the future is locked to us."

"As usual, I have no idea what you're talking about," Thomas said.

"Shuddap," Toetag warned him again, pushing him forward harshly. "This ex-wizard ain't nuthin' but trouble. I can't see as why Earsinge would want him kept alive."

"Dunno, I just follow orders like you do," Grimpenmire shrugged, taking another swig as he watched the others break down the last of the camp.

A makeshift cell was quickly constructed out of one of the side cubicles. Thomas glanced around his tight prison unconcernedly before turning his full attention to the archway, hoping to get even a peek of what lay beyond. But a long white corridor separated the arch to the end, and Thomas came to the conclusion that if he had been looking straight in he still wouldn't have been able to see much.

Just then, he heard a loud wailing noise coming from the tunnel, and a moment later something happened that neither the Thomas nor the goblins expected. Earsinge was back, but he was not alone. Beside him stood a thin, petrified boy, his hair uncombed and his Hogwarts Hufflepuff robes uneven. Then he remembered a sickly boy that often watched Alicia's games at the park. Could this be the same one?

"Earsinge, what is this? Another wizard?" Napescar said unhappily.

"And another under my protection," Earsinge snapped. "He is here to go into the library for us and bring out what's in it. Morfinn, all you need to do is bring what you find out here, and I'll put you back where I found you." But Morfinn had been busy reading the script, frowning at it before shaking his head.

"I can't," he said.

"You'll do as you're told!" Napescar snarled, coming over to them.

"You don't understand," Morfinn said, backing into Earsinge in attempt to get away from Napescar's ferocious glare. "I would do it if I could, honest, but the script says I have to be related and I'm not a direct son of David."

"What?" Earsinge said.

"Well, I'd think the name Bliant would have given you a clue! My grandparents converted in the sixties! I'd bet Ginger's closer than I am, and she's not even Jewish!" Morfinn protested. Earsinge groaned.

"Well, now what, Chairman?" Napescar snarled. "Now that we have two wizards prisoner and we're no closer to getting in than before!" Earsinge put a hand to his head as if trying to clear it. "I say it's time to act! Let's throw him in anyhow and see what happens!"

"Napescar, wizard he may be, but he's also just a boy!" Earsinge snapped.

"Then throw the other one in! He's not a boy and he's done nothing but cheat death for years now!"

"I said no!" Earsinge snapped. "I say we try to disarm it!"

"And may I remind you how close the other wizards are to breaking in? We have no time for this, and I'm tired of your man-whipped mutant attitudes! It's time a real goblin took the chair!"

"Are you challenging me for leadership?" Earsinge said, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Challenging to the death," Napescar agreed. Slowly Earsinge pushed the boy away, his eyes never leaving Napescar's. Several of the other goblins began to grin grimly at the prospect, Grimpenmire taking charge of the boy and pulling him back out of the way as the two of them pulled out their daggers.

Thomas couldn't help but watch with interest, although duly noting that the victor quite likely would mean the difference between his life and death. Not that the prospect hadn't happened before but he was a bit concerned for the boy, who seemed to be a victim of pure circumstance rather than any involvement in the affair. So much was at stake even for the goblin miners that they too were enthralled as the two began to circle each other.

It was then that Thomas felt a hand on his between the makeshift bars and saw the door's padlock slide open and fall into the dust.

"Well, don't just stand there, get out of here," Jennifer's voice hissed.

"Go? And leave those monsters to the wisdom of one of the greatest kings whoever lived? I think I'll stay, thank you," Thomas decided.

"Don't be a fool! This can't end well!" Jennifer whispered.

"Just worry about the boy," Thomas said, but even as he said it, he noticed Morfinn edging farther and farther away from his guard, his hand tilted a bit as if it were being held. Instantly alarmed, Thomas turned to look at where the pile of camp equipment was to see Alex, Alicia and Aurelius all crouched behind it, Alicia gesturing to him madly to come on. "Jennifer! What are you thinking bringing them down here?"

"Actually, to make a long story short, it was Dumbledore's idea. He made it a condition of allowing me to leave the school, and personally, I'd rather get them out of here as much as you do so if you'll just come on instead of being a stubborn old fool…"

"You have no business in being here! I'm ordering you to get out at once!"

"I have just as much of a right to be here as you do!"

"This is the stupidest stunt you've pulled in a long time, Jen-girl! You're going to ruin everything if you keep this up!"

"I'm going to ruin everything? We wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for you!"

"I didn't ask for your help!"

"And I didn't ask to be your daughter, either!" Jennifer snapped. It was at that point that Thomas realized that the fight behind them had come to a complete pause and both the leaders and the diggers were staring at the corner where the voice and Thomas Craw were blatantly shouting at each other.

"Wizards!" Napescar yelped and threw his dagger towards where he last heard the voice. The other Snapes barked out a warning, but Jennifer had already rolled, the hood of the cloak coming up as she did so and came up to her knee with her wand drawn. "Don't just stand there, grab them!"

Like a snake, Grimpenmire's hand came down on Jennifer's wand hand and squeezed her wrist sharply. As she looked at his face in surprise she let go of her wand, grimacing as he snatched it up and pulled her aside. The other four proved to be much harder to round up, the pile acting as a barricade for them to cast spells.

Suddenly the pile lurched and whipped up as it turned into a large woven rug, slamming back down on the floor and offering them no cover at all. Immediately the four had pulled tight with their backs together and wands out, pointing them at anyone who came near them. But as Earsinge's attention was concentrating on the four in front of him, Napescar quickly pounced and grabbed Morfinn, his powerful arms quickly wrestling the boy around and holding up his dagger to his neck.

"Stop! Lay down your wands now, or the boy dies!" Napescar barked. "Now!"

"I would advise you to do it," Earsinge said in a low voice. "I believe that dagger is poisoned. Even the smallest cut can kill him."

Glancing sideways at each other, Aurelius and the others slowly put down their wands.

"Good, now, listen up," Napescar said. "From now on, I'm in charge of this operation, and someone is going to go through that door. I'm really not particular about who."

"Then it'll have to be me," Aurelius said firmly. As his siblings broke out in protest, Aurelius put a thumb under a heavy chain around his neck and lifted it up slightly. "Trust me, I have a better chance than anyone else here of getting through it."

"No, wait!" Jennifer began, but Grimpenmire yanked her back and put a dagger to her neck as well.

"Now, now, let the boy do what he wants," Grimpenmire warned her.

"You're going to pay for this," Jennifer said through gritted teeth.

"Not before you have paid for interfering," Grimpenmire growled back.

"I would like for my siblings to watch my back," Aurelius said, stepping up to the door. "They're not likely to misuse their wands with both Morfinn and Mum's life on the line."

Napescar squinted at him.

"He has a point," Earsinge said with a nod. "The idea is to be able to get someone through that entrance without dying, isn't it? At least with their wands the boy has a chance."

"Fine," Napescar snapped. "But if anything happens, these two die first, and the rest will follow."

"Right," Aurelius said solemnly, taking his wand back from Earsinge and the other three following suit.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Alex murmured worriedly as she got in position.

"Don't we all," Aurelius said dryly as he took out the Shield medallion and faced the door.

Jennifer watched with a sickened heart as Aurelius walked closer to the arch, watching as he murmured an identify spell, and then shook his head unsurely.

"I've never seen a spell radiate that strong of a grey before. It's strong, though," he said.

"Spells had no alignment back then, Aurelius, it was pure raw power, and its alignment depended purely on how you used it," Earsinge explained. Aurelius frowned. It was not something that would be easy to negate then, he realized.

"Aurelius, look for something that might be used to test identity, like a blood offering," Jennifer suggested.

"I hardly think they would use a blood offering," Earsinge said.

"It wouldn't have been completely uncommon," Jennifer said.

"Still, you must consider…"

"Damn the prehistorical discussions! Push the boy in!" Napescar snapped.

"Wait! What is this?" Aurelius said, peering at a tiny box made of gold attached to the right side pillar.

"It's a prayer box," Morfinn said. "It's a sort of blessing you kiss on your way past."

"Kiss?" Aurelius grimaced.

"No, with your hand," Morfinn said, but had to stop when Napescar put the dagger closer to his neck.

"I bet this is it, then," Aurelius murmured. If there had been anything inside, it had disintegrated long ago, which was just as well for Aurelius, for the entire situation felt uncomfortable enough as it was. Slowly he kissed his hand and touched the box, feeling a strange prick and tingle as he did so. "That was it," he murmured. Cautiously he reached one foot over the threshold and put it down, half expecting his foot to no longer be there the moment it reached the floor. But Aurelius only felt the tingle of the spell around his foot. Finally, gaining a bit more courage, he stepped the rest of the way in, the tingling covering him completely. "I think I'm all right," he said at last, "but don't relax yet, not until I get in."

"Is the spell down?" Earsinge asked anxiously.

"No, it's still quite active. I can feel it," Aurelius said. "Like webbing all around me. I don't see anything that might stop it."

Finally he stepped past the arch at the far side and the tingle was gone, replaced with a sensation of wonder. For inside the vault, not a single speck of dust had settled, nor did the stench of mold pass through the door. As he lit the room with a spell, he couldn't help but be amazed at the sheer volume of cloth parchments and scrolls that inhabited perfectly preserved lattice mahogany bookshelves. A thrill of awe hit him then like he had never experienced as he realized the magnitude of the archeological find before him. Nothing before would even come close, nor would it ever come close again. It was as if he had discovered the library of Alexandria still standing, and never had he ever felt as if he had been in a more sacred place in his life.

"Well? What's in there?" Earsinge called out.

"Nothing," Aurelius said, his voice sounding hollow in his ears. "Nothing, it's just an empty room. Looks like someone else must have already cleared it out."

"What?" Napescar said enraged.

"Wait, Napescar," Earsinge said quickly. "How do we know he's not lying?"

"Well, you could always try coming in here and looking for yourself," Aurelius said. "After all, I got through with no harm done to me."

"Good point. Grimpenmire, go after him."

"My hands are a bit full at the moment," Grimpenmire pointed out.

"Fine, Knifetongue, you go after him!" Napescar ordered.

Reluctantly, the Goblin went forward, timidly touching the box before stepping past it into the room. Immediately he began to scream and doubled over, crying out in pain as his skin quickly began to burn and peel. Without a second thought to his own safety, Andrew ran in, forgetting about the scroll box and ignoring the cries of his mother and siblings as he raced in and pulled the goblin back out of range, kneeling before him.

"He's alive, but just barely. Alex, Alicia, give me your healing potions."

"I don't think we have anything on us that'd work for such severe burns," Alex said.

"I might, let me go," Jennifer said. Grimpenmire loosened up enough to allow her to get in her cloak.

"Cover him with ice in the meantime!" Morfinn barked. "Hurry!"

"He's right, we need to stop the skin from cooking," Andrew said, and immediately they stood up and were soon joined by Aurelius, the four of them encasing the goblin's torso in ice while Earsinge grabbed the potion from Jennifer and slowly gave it to him.

"Andrew, are you all right?" Earsinge asked.

"Yeah, not a scratch," Andrew assured him. "Tingled, though."

"One of your parents must be related to the Solomon line," Earsinge said.

"Don't you even think of looking at me!" Thomas glared. "The Craw line is quite northern in descent, thank you!"

"Solomon had hundreds of children," Andrew pointed out. "I'd think quite a bit of that blood has been spread out all over since the several thousands of years since he reigned."

"All the same, I'm quite sure it came from your father's half," Craw stated indignantly. Jennifer rolled her eyes and would have even shaken her head if she could have.

"It doesn't matter!" Napescar snapped. "What matters is we need to find out the truth of what's in there! Now, listen here, this is your last warning!" he said, the four Snapes looking up from the fallen goblin with anger. Even Earsinge, still kneeling at his friend's side waiting to see if he would survive couldn't help but feel anger with the way Napescar was handling this. "I want one of you to go in there and bring out something significant! If you do not come out with something, Grimpenmire will kill your mother where she stands."

"But there's nothing in there!" Aurelius swore.

"If that's true, then you're all dead anyway," Napescar said with a nasty smile. "And your father and those wizards outside will find nothing but a pretty pile of corpses when they do get in here. So I suggest you cooperate."

Slumping visibly, Aurelius reluctantly turned to go back in when Alex stopped him.

"Wait, I'll go this time," she said.

"No, you stay, I'll go," Aurelius said.

"No, I'm the oldest, and it's high time I started taking more responsibility."

"Why don't you all go?" Grimpenmire suggested, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Alex sighed at him.

"Fine. We'll all go," Alex said, nodding to the others to follow her. Aurelius looked at her strangely, wondering what she was up to as the four of them headed inside. Even as Alicia and Andrew stood agape at the room's contents, Alex pulled them all further inside. "Listen to me," she whispered. "I want the three of you to stay in here no matter what happens."

"What do you mean, no matter what happens?" Aurelius hissed. "We don't have a choice now, we have to give them something."

"No, we do have a choice," Alex said. "Trust me just this once. I promise I know what I'm doing, and besides, for once in my life I think I know something about this situation that you don't."

"Like what?"

"Thanks, but I'm going to revel in that fact for a moment," Alex said, pulling out her potion wallet and taking out a couple of pinches of dust. The others winced when she did it, and Aurelius stared at her aghast as she rubbed it in, reddening her face before she stepped back into the tingling corridor.

"Well? Where is it?" Napescar said.

"I'm sorry," Alex said, her eyes tearing noticeably. "But Aurelius was right. There is nothing at all in here."

"This is all your fault," Napescar snarled, spitting at Earsinge. "Tie him up! I'm in charge now. Grimpenmire! Kill her."

Grimpenmire shrugged at him, then suddenly whipped the dagger out of his hand and threw it at Napescar, landing it in the back of his arm and making him drop his own dagger. Jennifer grabbed her wand out of Grimpenmire's belt, Stupifying one of the other goblins heading for her.

"Morfinn!" Alex shouted, coming out and dragging him out of danger, covering him with her wand.

"Nice shot," Jennifer commented to the goblin beside her.

"Stay on the others. Napescar is mine," Grimpenmire said.

"Alex, get Morfinn out of here!" Jennifer barked. "You three stay where you are!"

"Not likely!" Andrew said to his other siblings. "They're far too outnumbered! We've got to get the others! Blow a hole through that thing if we have to!"

"I could draw a picture so they would know where they're Apparating to," Alicia suggested.

"There's not enough time!" Aurelius said. "But I think I've got an idea. Come on!"

The three of them raced through the center right through the crossfire of Jennifer's wand, ignoring her shouts at them as they passed her.

Grimpenmire had been too busy to notice; too busy dodging the poisoned dagger that Napescar had and the certain death that went with it. Finally, Grimpenmire was able to get a hold of his wrist and a struggle of strength ensued. Grimpenmire soon realized that he was no match for the powerful goblin in a contest of brawn, his muscles tightening from strain as he began to lose his grip. But locked as they were, Grimpenmire knew there was one avenue left he could take. Pushing with his last ounce of energy and twisting his legs with that of his opponent's, he forced them both to fall through the arch, head first into the deadly spell. But as the two of them hit the ground, only one of them began to scream. Napescar began to claw at his own face as Grimpenmire stood, grabbing the dagger beside him and wrapping it up with a cloth, making no attempt to save the other as the spell took its full course.

When the scream finally ended, a strange silence took his place, for everyone had stopped fighting. Just then, the three other Snapes rushed in with Scur and Moody behind them, wands out and ready for anything. But the goblins who remained standing and were not yet paralyzed or petrified from Jennifer's wand promptly sank to their knees in surrender.

"Jennifer," Grimpenmire said, still breathing heavily from the struggle, "it would appear that the Solomon bloodline is on my side of the family."

"So it would seem," Jennifer said dryly. "You're just lucky you didn't have to trust me to get you out in time."

"Well, we all have to go over the falls at one time or another," Severus mused as he sipped on the potion to turn him back to human once more. Jennifer merely shook her head at him and sunk to the floor in relief.

"Would someone tell me what in damnation is going on?" Thomas demanded, stepping out of his cell.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I plan to do just that, once the wounded have been attended," Severus said. "First thing's first, however. Moody, arrest everyone who's not an Auror or a minor. It'll save you quite a bit of time that way."

"Well, what about her?" Moody chuckled, nodding at Jennifer.

"Oh, I'll deal with her personally," Severus said, and Jennifer made a face at him in return.


	36. A Not So Elementary Case Closed

Chapter Thirty-Six

A Not So Elementary Case Closed

Ederick Thurspire could not be more delighted or more furious than he was the next day as an unbelievably large group was assembled in one of the Ministry conference halls, many of which were criminals…some of which he had been looking for for years. Before Moody stood Rinan Scur and Fylie List, both clapped in magic bonds and looking neither surprised nor worried to be there, along with Thomas Craw who had his own escort in Audi Belle. Earsinge also was there, as were several of the goblins who had been with him. Morfinn Bliant and his parents were there, several members of the board of goblins including Governor Knobgait himself, as well as Dumbledore, and of course, the Minister of Magic, Draco Malfoy. But in the foreground of it all stood Severus Snape, who had been having one of the busiest days of his life, while Jennifer and the children sat near Thomas waiting impatiently for it to begin.

"All right, Severus, all of your ducks are in a row now," Draco said, gesturing for his guards to close the doors. "It's time you explained to them what you got through telling me, and finish what you wouldn't tell me too, if you don't mind," he added dryly.

"First of all, I must comment that I have never seen a quest for knowledge turn into such an unfortunate mix of revenge and greed," Severus said. "Although I have read about it on occasion. I suppose in a way that's how I got interested in this whole thing, and why I am the one that stands before you now to put it all together. But first, I believe it is important to understand the scope of this case by saying that although there are many guilty parties that entered this for many different reasons, it must be understood that the creature that truly started the cascade of events I saw unfold was someone dead and gone now for seventeen years. Voldemort." Scur, Brogan, Fist, and Craw, all bowed their heads, while others paled and waited in silence.

"It is no secret to anyone who attended Thomas' inquiry or his property trials what had been done to his business efforts when he left," Severus went on, glancing at Draco who nodded expressionlessly back to him. "Those that partnered with him had also felt the squeeze of that monster's fist. Many of them died because of it. Many of them, in fact, were sold out, and not exactly by whom you might conjecture," he said, the slight gesture to Draco enough of a hint he was referring to Lucius. "It was, in fact, a true partner of theirs who led to their own downfall…their own accountant, Jasper Brad. Being an accountant, Jasper would have seen very quickly if any money was being siphoned out of the books, and one of Voldemort's men decided that it would be better to cut him in, promising, perhaps, to insure Brad's funds would be safe in other ventures if he would allow the finances of Craw, then a powerful figure quite feared by all, to dwindle into nothing. Brad agreed, but secretly kept the knowledge of the true nature of the business, the search for the mines of Solomon, away from those he was in contact with. He then gave information to the location of other members of the company, first Bronson, and then too, I think Weylin, while he collected the 'useless' scraps of paper they had on them for his own use. And then he went after Wylie," Severus said, Fyren's face turning to stone. "But Wylie had gotten wind of his impending doom and ran to his friend, Naresh. He left him his piece of the map, and I think perhaps stayed with him for some time, but then left for some reason I'm not yet certain of and was killed. It was, in fact, Wylie's map that Naresh had not Fyren's at the time of his death, as some of us were lead to believe. To get rid of Scur, who had disappeared off of radar and make sure he wouldn't come back, Brad then helped the Death Eaters by giving evidence that Scur had been the one to kill Wylie. This, by the way, is now a matter of public record if you want to look it up. Brogan was able to escape by staying with a cousin in a shack north of Hogsmeade. Fyren List, still reeling from the death of his brother, hid himself by working on Muggle digs, taking his anger and frustrations out on his easy prey.

"But several years ago he happened to run into Naresh on a dig. I believe he heavily blamed Naresh for his brother's death, for allowing him to leave on his own. He also, I believe, found out that Naresh was actively seeking the mines based on what little he had of Wylie's map, as well as a great deal of knowledge he had acquired from his work. The fact that he would use the information that Wylie gave to him in any other way than merely to safeguard against Voldemort infuriated the Fist, especially since Naresh hadn't been on the original dig and wasn't even entitled to a map."

"Something just came over me," Fyren muttered with a shrug. "I suppose I'd not 'ave done it sober, but 'e kept talkin' on and on about 'ow much he respected my brother all the while 'e was using 'im. And t' top it all off, 'e had thrown him out! All to make room for tha'….thing…over there."

"He wouldn't have thrown anyone out!" Earsinge barked, standing up. Quickly Thurspire went over to contain the furious goblin. "Wylie might have left because of me, but because he couldn't stand me, not because my father wanted him to leave! You killed him for no reason other than you didn't want him to find the mine!"

"Well, I suppose tha's partially true. 'E didn't deserve the mine any more than you did, and I admit to tryin' t' work against your efforts t' recover it ever since! But I did not kill Jasper Brad."

"No," Severus agreed calmly. "But you left a dagger in his back."

"So wha' if I did?" The Fist retorted. "It's true, I 'ad come with intention of killing 'im 'ad 'e been alive, but 'e was already dead. The blank dagger is a symbol of a true outcast of goblins, and I 'ad hoped its existence there would give Earsinge reason to pause, because 'e would know the rest of us would rally around a fallen comrade."

"So in essence, you went there to kill him in attempt to get the remaining members of your company to reband and act against Earsinge before he got any farther."

"Possibly," Fyren said casually.

"And how well you succeeded," Severus said. "But little did you know that Earsinge was in a better position than you were to know what was going on. He had manipulated his way into Lost Empire after his father's death; his outcast standing not so significant in the sea of outcasts that is Heckletown, and his knowledge of archeology and anthropology quickly led to several substantial recoveries that secured him the right to lead. But then he made a very fatal mistake. To further his influence, Earsinge decided to take in a partner with both the connections to the bank and the movement working against the bank; a cart foreman named Napescar."

"I protest, you have no proof anyone by that name ever worked for the bank," Knobgait said, but Severus immediately held up a paper, handing it not to Knobgait, but to Minister Malfoy.

"This is a list of bank employees at the time of last year's murder," Severus said. "And if this won't do, I know Thomas Craw can attest that both Earsinge and Napescar were in the bank when they went in that morning."

"Earsinge was never an employee of the bank!" Knobgait sputtered.

"I didn't say he was," Severus said calmly. "I said he was there, and he was there to collect a copy of Craw's map that Napescar had made. I might not have even suspected Napescar of being there at all if he hadn't scuffed off the bank insignia on his foreman pin and decide to wear it as a sign of rank at the site. But anyhow, Thomas had seen Earsinge and recognized him for who he really was, and Earsinge admitted as much to Napescar. But Napescar was not a partner worth trusting. He knew that if Earsinge was revealed himself it would mean the end before things even got started. So when Craw and the children came to get a cart to the vault, he ordered one of the least reliable of carters to take them down, and once they were inside, he slit Cutmite's throat and shut them in, then used his authority as foreman to get behind the desk and sign Cutmite's name off.

"Once I realized that Napescar was the one behind it, I did a bit of digging, for I knew Napescar's nature. Although it was obvious he would revel in any political turmoil between the Ministry and the goblins, his choice of where to put the corpse seemed much more personal. After all, he could have just as easily planted it within the Craw vault and caused just as much a political rift since the Ministry let Craw out on bail. But I found out that Napescar's parents were indeed one of the families directly feuding with the Platts and had been killed by Damon's father when he and his brother were still very young. And it was he who decided to order his men to fight with poisoned daggers when Earsinge had him arrange the abduction of my daughter to test her ability. Napescar then, was responsible for that goblin's death as well.

"I believe that is when Napescar and Earsinge truly had their falling out, for Earsinge did not approve of his methods. Earsinge's attempt to cover the matter up by blaming Lucius Malfoy, known to have used goblins in the past, was compromised greatly by Napescar's arming the hired thugs with poison daggers, for Earsinge had learned by then about the curse upon Malfoy and knew that no one would believe he would have put Alex in that much danger. It also didn't help that Lucius' granddaughter had been visiting, and many did not buy that he would do something like that in her presence.

"Fortunately, Earsinge no longer needed Napescar in Britain. All of the pieces of the map were collected, and he sent him down to Africa with the soul purpose of staking claims near any that Fyren List was apart of. Of course, by then we had joined the search as well. Earsinge continued his work here, gathering the information he needed quite cleverly through an unsuspecting host. Using the research that Naresh had collected, his son gathered as much of the code as he could and pasted it into books one page at a time, and then he had my own daughter decode them for him after his classes."

"What do you mean after his classes?" Thurspire blinked. Jennifer and Audi both had the same surprised look on their faces.

"Just that," Severus said. "Haven't you yet guessed? Earsinge is just another name for Earham Singh."

"That's impossible!" Jennifer protested immediately. "Severus, I can see through transformations, I would have seen through it by now."

"Jennifer, do you recall the conversation we had once with Toby the Tinker? He said that transformations only show for Truth Seekers because the individual is not being true to himself. Earham Singh is just as much Naresh's son as Earsinge is. Do you now see why he was abandoned? No? It was simply the fact that Earsinge was born with uncanny magical ability that went beyond a goblin's ability to charm tools and create things. He could actually transfigure things, and transform himself. It was the pure, cruel irony that this goblin child was outcast for magic when Naresh was outcast for being without it that had swayed Naresh into adopting him…and it was in Earham's effort to fit in with his parents that made him develop his human form, eagerly adopting all of our culture in attempt to be accepted. But Jennifer, you did see through it to some extent. As I recall, when he and I were sparring you commented that you could read his emotions, but not his thoughts, much like you've done with other goblins. It's unfortunate that you couldn't. You could have warned me that he had considered killing me at that moment. Luckily, I myself realized soon after the fact that he might have and gave myself some insurance that it didn't happen, although at the time of the incident I wasn't sure of the reason why he might have been tempted to," he admitted, turning to Earsinge. "I think he recognized by that point that my close involvement with both the school and your fathers' business would uncover what he was doing…and it would have been so easy at that point to make my death from the spar look like a complete accident, in front of you, no less, Jennifer."

"Wait, wait, wait," Thurspire said irritably, trying to take all of this in. "Severus, if he's Earham Singh, why would he go to the trouble of getting Alex alone if he could have easily done it at the school?"

"Oh, yes, good point, and one I think our Minister of Magic will be highly interested in," Severus said. "I asked myself this, and then I came up to a rather disturbing conclusion; he did it to prove her abilities not to himself, but for someone else's benefit. The room was quite dark. All Alex could see was the silhouette of a man in front of her and the glow around the map in front of her. She didn't once turn around, but I think if she had, she might have seen something moving behind her. And the reason it happened was to prove to the bank officers there that covering up Cutmite's death was in the bank's best interest. The bank then had to have known the truth. They knew who forged Cutmite's name out. They knew Napescar had been in the same vault just a few days before, obtaining in that instant Gringotts' Curse. They even knew where Napescar intended to dispose of the body at. And they knew who was truly responsible for the goblin's death that day in Hogsmeade…of course, by then they were already in too deep to expose it, weren't they?"

"They knew about this all along? You mean we have been sitting on the edge of a political war and they knew it was a goblin all along?" Draco said, his eyes flashing with fury and looking like a cauldron ready to boil over.

"Actually, you were never in any real danger of any conflict, Minister," Knobgait said coolly. "It was merely an act of a business transaction. Had they been successful in retrieving the ancient documents, it would have increased the bank's standings substantially."

"I want the Platts officially cleared and I want it done now," Draco demanded.

"Aren't we all forgetting something here?" Thurspire said with exasperation. "Severus, this really has been enlightening, really, but I have noticed that you didn't offer any conjecture at all about who murdered Jasper Brad."

"Oh, yes that," Severus said, waving it off distractedly. "That's because he wasn't murdered." Nearly everyone turned to stare at him.

"That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard of," Thurspire said.

"Oh, really?" Severus said. "Haven't you ever heard the simple rule that states that whenever you've eliminated all the likely possibilities that whatever's left, however unlikely, must be the answer? Brad killed himself. Why with a slow acting poison? Perhaps he wanted to give himself time to take an antidote if he changed his mind. Perhaps because he knew it would look less like an accident and he wanted to take down one of his enemies with him, and Brad had indeed many enemies…including Napescar, who I have heard was seen dancing at his funeral."

"But what reason would he have done so?" Thurspire asked. "He's hardly the type to have done it over feeling guilty about his involvement in the affair with the Death Eaters."

"No, but he is the type to have been driven to it by multiple people blackmailing him for it and threatening to go public with who all he had sold out and all about his connections to Voldemort. Who was blackmailing him, you may ask? Well I can name at least two; Lucius Malfoy and Rinan Scur, although I have no doubt there were probably a few more," Severus said. "I suppose we might find out who all were blackmailing him if whoever it was who took the suicide note would admit to it. Oh, and Rinan, before you try to deny it, I may want to add that those fingerprints on the vault were intentionally put there. The layer of dust inside had not been disturbed in some time, leading me to believe that the maps were taken out of Brad's hands quite some time ago. And am I right in attesting that despite threats of death and dismemberment that Jasper Brad resisted?"

"The dirty cheap bastard," Rinan grunted. "All the pressure in the world wouldn't squeeze a knut out of the man."

"Which is why you told the Red Fist about it, hoping he would do you a favor, isn't that right?" Severus said, glancing the Fyren. "The note, Fyren?" Reluctantly, Fyren took out a pack of cards and raised it up over his head. Cautiously, Moody took it and inspected it before pulling out a folded note out of it. "Thank you. Any other questions?" he added innocently.

"Only one," Thurspire scowled. "Moody, if you and Audi knew where Scur and Fist and Craw were this whole time, why didn't you turn them in?"

"Oh, well, line twenty-three page one hundred and fifteen of the Auror code states that the Ministry must allow time for extradition if a known criminal is in a foreign country. And as you know, Craw was kidnapped," Moody said.

"And where's the kidnapper?" Thurspire demanded.

"Dead," Audi said quickly. "Napescar kidnapped him."

"There now, you can't argue with an Auror, now can you?" Severus said calmly.

"But Napescar was in Africa before Christmas! How would he have kidnapped him?"

"Use your imagination, if you have one," Moody suggested. Thurspire gazed over at Earsinge, but even he seemed to be disinterested in the question.

"Minister Malfoy! I demand to hold Craw for questioning on his activities during this!" Thurspire said at last.

"Shut up, Thurspire," Draco said. "Do your job and arrest the Fist for murder, Scur for blackmail, and Earsinge for kidnapping, attempted murder, and accessory to murder. And then everybody get out. The bank governors and I have a lot of talking to do."

"You know, Azkaban isn't as bad as it used to be," Thomas murmured to Earsinge.

"Perhaps not," Earsinge said. "About that night I tried to talk to you..."

"When you were posing to be Thurspire?" Thomas prompted. "I suppose my daughter must have mentioned to Singh that she was planning to stay late that night."

"I was only trying to have a word with you," Earsinge said with a nod. "You were truly one of the few who was ever civil to me as a child, even though I knew you didn't approve."

"No, I didn't," Thomas mused. "But perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps I might drop by sometime." Earsinge nodded at that, allowing one of the guards to escort him away. "And I'll be seeing you too, Scur."

"I won't be in there long," Scur assured him, "Though I suppose this means now legally all of the stash will go to you and Brogan."

"I'll send you a tin of biscuits to compensate," Thomas said.

"And what about me, old friend?" Fyren asked with a smile. But Thomas' expression turned immediately cold.

"And you, old acquaintance, are lucky that I don't have a wand to strike you down where you stand," Thomas said. "You murdered one of the few men I ever respected over a matter that wasn't his fault. If I had been Earham, you'd have died long ago." Jennifer gently took her father's arm as Fyren was led off. The two of them were soon joined by Severus, who received a hug from his wife as he came over. "So I see all those silly Muggle mysteries you've been reading have finally gone to your head," Thomas grunted at him.

"Yes, perhaps they have, but it did come in handy, didn't it? At least now I know I am bound to make a decent profit myself off the venture," Severus mused.

"That and more," Thomas said quietly, gesturing for Brogan to come over. "The two of us have decided to allow you the pick of whatever magical scrolls are down there to help in your ancient magic research. We were going to sell the rest, and considering all you've done, you deserve that much."

"Thank you," Severus said. "But won't you have to give up many of those not related to magic?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Thomas said casually. "None of that is going to be necessary. You see, I was able to buy the mountain the mine is under after all, including the part that Earsinge's claim was on. The gold and everything else Muggle or not is mine now. But with the right middleman and the right auction house, I think many of those religious artifacts will find their way back into Muggle hands where they belong. God knows they won't be doing me any good, assuming there is one," he smirked.

"Wait a minute! I know how little you had going into this, Dad, how could you have possibly been able to afford buying such a large piece of property like that?" Jennifer asked.

"Simple. I took out a loan with the bank last year when I still wasn't sure we had the money we needed to fund this thing," he said, nodding to Griphook standing with the bank governors, who nodded back in return.

"It was insurance in case things went sour," Griphook said, Knobgait squinting at him. It was obvious from his expression he didn't know anything about it. "I don't like losing money."

"Yes, but don't worry, Jen-girl. I'll have the First-born loan paid off as soon as we finish the sales on the scrolls," Thomas said, Griphook grinning wickedly at Jennifer in response.

"What?" Jennifer said, turning pale.

"Don't worry, Jennifer, I co-signed," Severus said, and Jennifer stared at him, deciding to take a more prominent interest in the family budget from now on.

Alex and Alicia were backstage getting ready to go on when several of the other students managed to get her talking about what had happened in Sudan.

"You know, even after everything we've been through, I am glad that Knifetongue is all right," Alex said. "He didn't deserve to be treated like that. He should be up and walking again in a few weeks."

"But what about Napescar? You don't have any remorse for him at all?" Juliet asked.

"No, I should say not after all the lives he destroyed. And honestly, I'm not sure we could have saved him even if we had tried. We'd used up all our healing potions on Knifetongue. How do I look?" Alex asked, putting on the top hat. Around the rim, her hair began to stand on end.

"Great," Alicia smirked.

"But how did you know that the goblin was your father?" Morfinn asked curiously. "I wouldn't have believed it was him!"

"It was the name that gave it away! I kept thinking that I recognized it from somewhere and then I realized where!" Alex said. "Grimpen Mire was the home of the Hound of the Baskervilles, one of my father's favorite books! Of course, it wasn't always father. During the week Harry filled in. Father thought they could get a clue as to who was behind the murders if they had a spy in there."

Just then, Halbert and Andrew appeared off the stage, dragging their canes behind them.

"Didn't do so well, did you?" Alicia asked.

"Snape gave us a 2 out of 100," Halbert said glumly.

"Oh, he's been giving everyone scores like that!" Alex scowled.

"Not true! Jocelyn got a sixty for her violin recital," Juliet said.

"Yes, because he finally found someone who plays worse than he does," Alicia said sweetly, and Juliet stuck her tongue out at her.

"Come on, we're up!" Alex said excitedly, dragging a table behind her while Alicia reluctantly rolled a box with a curtain out. "Ladies and Gentleman! I, the Amazing Alexandria and my beautiful assistant Alicia am about to entertain you with daring feat of magic ALL WITHOUT using any magic at all! Simply by applying a bit of imagination and pure talent."

Sitting on either side of Hermione, Jennifer and Severus became completely skeptical of the act, and it wasn't long before they found they had reason. Alex's attempt to draw Tes out of her hat seemed to nearly get her electrocuted as the Lightning Kitten bolted, irate about having been in the hat for so long. The students in the Great Hall, however, broke into laughter, and even more so when the handkerchiefs got knotted up in Alex's sleeve and one good tug by Alicia sent her to the floor. But Alex took it all in stride as she went on to the milk hat trick. At first it seemed to work beautifully, but as she flipped the hat inside out to reveal the silk flowers inside, drips of milk came out from the tip of it. Alicia wiped it up with a simple spell when Alex had her back turned and the students chuckled again.

"And now, completely without…let me remind you…completely without the aid of magic, I will make my little sister disappear in this unprepared changing closet!" Alex said, tapping the box with an odd, plastic wand. Looking completely unamused about the prospect, Alicia stepped into the box as Alex put the curtain down. "Now I will say the Muggle Magic Gibberish…Presto Chango! And now, she is gone!" Alex said, removing the curtain to receive a smattering of applause. "And now, I shall bring her back! Presto Chango!" Alex opened the curtain again, but she wasn't back yet, causing Alex to do a double take and causing the audience to laugh. "Um. Alicia?" Alex frowned, stepping in the box. Just then, Alicia tip-toed in from behind it, and they laughed again. "Alicia?"

"And now it's time for me to make my big sister disappear!" Alicia declared, and began rolling the box away with her in it. A roaring applause erupted then along with another round of laughter, and a second round when Alicia came out to grab the table as well. Hermione held up an enthusiastic score of 70 followed by a 55 from Jennifer and a 2 from Severus. Hermione and Jennifer frowned at him.

"Severus, it would be nice if you gave someone a score above ten every now and again," Hermione scolded him as she got up, turning the page of her program over. "And now we have the last of the Snape performances. May I present George Stockton and Aurelius Snape in a skit they call, 'The Case of the Printed Letter.'"

From the other side of the stage, Alex and Alicia's jaws dropped as they saw the two boys come out with just a couple of chairs and a letter as props, but it was the costumes that horrified them. There was no mistaking the costume by anyone; it had been copied to perfection, so that even though Rel had a slender nose and wasn't anywhere near tall enough for the roll, there could be no doubt he was playing Sherlock Holmes, inspecting a letter by holding it up to the light.

A moment later, Stockton came in wearing his own period clothing and glasses, pausing dramatically on his way to his chair with a paper rolled up in his hands.

"I say, Holmes, what are you doing?"

"As you can plainly see, I am busy observing the outside of this envelope to learn more about who sent it to me."

"Well, yes, but… well, wouldn't you find out more by actually opening the letter?"

"Watson, consider this, knowing me as you do, that I can probably deduce more from merely looking at this envelope than most people will ever gather about the sender from reading it. Also, I find the moment I do open a letter I find myself with preconceived ideas based on its contents. In this way, I can make my conjectures without otherwise biased opinions," Aurelius declared. "Shall I prove it to you?"

"We are so toast," Alicia murmured back stage.

"I can't believe he did this to us! Why, this is cheating! This is absolute highway robbery!" Alex said hotly. Rose, who was standing in the back checking props came up to see what all the students were grumbling about.

"Oh that! Well, it's not like you couldn't have picked to do it if you thought about it," she said. Andrew and Halbert came to look as well.

"Do you like the costumes?" Andrew asked brightly. "I helped transfigure them." Immediately, Andrew received icy stares from his sisters and decided to make a quick exit.

"I can't believe it Holmes! You solved it again!" Stock said with enthusiasm.

"Elementary, my dear Watson, purely elementary," Aurelius said, then took their bows, receiving a warm applause. They slowly got up to dragged their chairs, waiting as Hermione put up a 70, Jennifer put up a 65, and Severus put up a 99. Hermione and Jennifer both leaned over to see his score, rolling their eyes in response while the two on stage clasped hands and moved their chairs off the stage.

"Do you believe it? We're absolutely in the lead!" Stock said excitedly as they joined Xavier and Jocelyn who had read Shakespeare. "And we only needed to place."

"Well done, Rel!" Xavier nodded. "And with only one act left, I think it's safe to say you smashed your point goal for this year quite well, and under pressure too."

"Thanks," Aurelius said. "Who's left anyhow?"

"Just Black," Xavier said.

"Oh, what would he have that could beat that?" Aurelius snorted.

"And now for our last act," Hermione said, looking puzzled over what was written. "Zacchius Black …and friend… will perform the song, 'Me and My Shadow' while baking in the kitchen?"

Zacchius waved as he came out in a baggy sweater and jeans, pulling with him a long table filled with pies and cakes. The audience groaned. Even the judges were looking at each other unsurely.

"He's not going to do what I think he's going to do is he?" Hermione asked Jennifer, who was studying him carefully.

"If he does, nephew or not, I shall hang him by one ankle on the tallest tree I can find," Severus squinted.

"No, I think it'll be all right," Jennifer said.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

"No," Jennifer said with a grin. "But it might be something we can all laugh at later." Severus' expression told how much he didn't like the sound of that.

Zack bowed and pushed the button on a magic-driven CD player, putting his wand next to it so everyone could hear it as he stepped to the center of the stage.

As he began to sing, the judges noticed that Zack did seem to have a shadow that at first seemed to follow him. But suddenly the shadow put its hands to its ears and made funny faces, and immediately the audience sensed something was up, chuckling nervously as Zack finished the second line of the chorus and spun around to head across the other side of the stage. But as he was going into the fact that he had 'no one else to tell his troubles to,' the audience murmured as one of the pies began to float up behind him, and before he could start singing the next line, Peeves appeared. Unable to resist the setup of having an entire table of deserts at his beckon call, Peeves tossed a pie at the back of Zack's head.

The audience broke into laughter as Zack kept on like nothing had happened, but that merely seemed to instigate the Poltergeist more, lobbing pie after cake after pudding at the boy, each one earning a roar from the crowd even louder than the one before as Zack struggle to keep the cake out of his mouth and from slipping on the floor as he did his simple soft shoe routine. At last, Peeves began to pelt him two at a time, until Zack was covered from head to toe, saving one cream pie for the last note and splatting it right in his face.

A standing ovation followed, while Peeves bobbed around Zack's head singing about shadows and pies, deafened by the roar of applause as Zack took several bows. Even everyone backstage – especially the Gryffindors- couldn't help but applaud as well, especially when Hermione's score of 100, Jennifer's score of 100, and then last of all, Severus slowly showing his score of 100 naming Zacchius Black the winner.

Zacchius Black had succeeded in repairing their damaged score, pushing Gryffindor just a few points ahead of Hufflepuff for second in time for the End of the Year Feast and received his fair share of handshakes for that, but everyone quieted down again as Dumbledore stood up, smiling once again at the Slytherin table whose colors the Hall was bearing.

"All of us have goals in life," Dumbledore said. "Some to achieve, some to change, and some to discover. Each one of us has things that matter most to us; they are all different and for different reasons, but when someone has exceeded not only their personal goals but the expectations of others it is a rare thing. As it happens, I had a student come to me today as I was glancing over the points for this year and pointed something out I definitely agreed needed to be brought up. For it appears that according to both this student's record and to mine that one specific year of Slytherin has not only excelled and grown in countless personal ways, but has actually accumulated more points than any other class year in any House since the point system was started. I am also told that a great deal of the effort to accomplish such outstanding work was under the leadership of one student in that year. So with that, I would like to recognize Aurelius Snape, for his contributions to Slytherin, fourth year."

As a cheer went up, Xavier Platt was the first to stand, nodding to the grinning boy as Jocelyn joined him and then the rest of the year, only Eigil Hauk maintaining his seat as everyone else got up as well. Aurelius found he couldn't eat much after that, and even Heph was chatting to him excitedly about the summer and plans for the next year. But as all things must come to an end, Aurelius soon found himself grabbing the last of his things and heading for the trains, still wearing a private, triumphant smile upon his face.

So lost in his thoughts was he that he hadn't noticed Xavier come up beside him with a hand in one pocket, gazing at each hall they passed with a heavy heart. But when at last Xavier turned and saw that Aurelius had noticed him, he smiled.

"It feels strange to be leaving here, you know," Xavier said. "But at least I know I'll be leaving it in good hands."

"You did that on purpose, didn't you? Set my goal higher than the record," Aurelius said.

"Of course I did it on purpose," Xavier said with exasperation, shaking his head at Aurelius. "Really, Rel, I thought you were sharper than that. You are going to have to keep on your toes if you're going to maintain any level of discipline next year."

"Me?" Aurelius frowned.

"Yes you," Xavier said with a slight smile. "Someone has to take my spot when I'm gone, and you've convinced me to be the best man for it. What's wrong, Rel? Don't you want to be a Prefect?"

"But I'm a Snape! I mean, wouldn't that be favoritism?"

"Aurelius, just what house have you been in for the past four years?" Xavier says throwing up his arms. "Haven't you been listening during Conspiracy meetings at all? Advisors don't pick the prefects for this house, Rel. The Prefect going out does. And if you're worried about it, your father already knows who I picked."

"But…well, everyone thought Hauk was a shoe-in," Aurelius said, laughing softly in disbelief.

"Eigil Hauk? He can't even speak proper English. Rel, even if he wasn't a mixed breed and an outsider, he's shown no respect at all for Jocelyn or me and frankly has been nothing but a pain in my posterior since he arrived. Popularity doesn't make a Prefect…at least not in this house. Upbringing, and respect, pride, and downright stubborn ambition makes it. So it's yours. Now Eigil can be a pain in your backside instead," Xavier chuckled. Aurelius chuckled as well.

"Boy, is Alex going to hit the ceiling when that letter shows up next year," Aurelius grinned. Xavier laughed.

"I'm almost sorry not to be able to be around to see that."

"Why? Where are you heading?" Aurelius asked curiously.

"Northern Canada. I got a job as General Manager in Bertie Bott's Tundra Tasties factory, featuring the flavors of icicle, beaver jerky, moose antler and seal blubber."

"Sounds appetizing," Aurelius said with a forced smile.

"Yes, well, I suppose it does sound bleak but living there has at least one advantage. Permafrost; it's impossible to mine through. There's not a goblin in several hundred miles from there."

"But why are you still worried about it? I thought the Ministry forced the bank to clear your name."

"They did," Xavier sighed. "But frankly, I don't want to be here for the next round, and the next, and the next, or if I ever do get the nerve to settle down, which I doubt, I don't want my children going through it. I will miss it here though. I'll miss my parents too."

"They're staying?"

"Not only are they staying, they moved in together again. All that time they were confined together made them work out their problems."

"But that wouldn't work for you and Alex?" Aurelius asked slowly.

"No," Xavier said softly, shaking his head. "No, I… I just don't think Alex realizes just what it would mean to be a Platt. And frankly, she's really not cut out for it. But I do hope she'll be happy with whoever she does end up with," he added. "Feel free to tell her that."

Elfnip blossoms and roses adorned every vase and filled the air with their fragrance as guests filled the field beside Keki's Grove. Corey was staggered by the number of people on Rose's side of the family he was going to be related to, but they were just as staggered when he had no trouble remembering their names. He had been watching the Grove intently while he was greeting them, then broke into a smile when Alex and Alicia ran out both in pink dresses with Aurelius and Andrew both following behind. Then came Jennifer and Severus (Severus in his usual and Jennifer wearing the latest style from Minerva's shop) and Corey excused himself to go over to them, only to be stopped by Alex who was positively excited.

"Sisters! We're going to be sisters!" she declared.

"And for that reason alone I'm doing this for you," Corey teased her. "She's at the shop." Immediately Alex raced off again, and Corey met up with his parents, Severus squinting at him with a critical eye. "Finally! Grandfather's been here driving us crazy for nearly and hour. I have Audi and Boltin placating him, though."

"You're getting married in that?" Severus frowned.

"Severus!"

"It's all right, Mom," Corey chuckled, spreading out his Musketeer uniform. "It may be the last time I ever wear it Dad, humor me. This is just as much a part of me as Corey the lazy boy who'd rather be climbing trees than doing homework."

"I can't believe it, I can't believe this is happening," Jennifer said, and laughing softly Corey hugged her as Jennifer burst into tears.

"Molly Weasley warned me you were going to be like this! Come on, I think she's saving you both a seat."

"She has been something of a handful today," Severus agreed, and Jennifer hit him in the arm.

"Don't listen to him. Despite his expression, I assure you from what I'm reading from him, he's hardly doing any better than I am," Jennifer declared.

"Now, who are you going to believe? The Truth Seeker, or me?" Severus asked.

"I think I'm going to stay away from answering that," Corey laughed, walking them over to where everyone else was. A moment later a glass was presented in front of him, and Corey took it, following the gloved hand to see its owner. It was Danny, and she along with the two standing behind her was wearing their uniforms as well.

"Isn't it a bit early for this?" Corey grinned.

"Just a private toast," Danny said. "In honor of the last of us to fall."

"Well, I doubt any of you are surprised about that," Corey grinned.

"Actually, my money had always been on Doug," Taylor admitted and the others laughed.

"To the best friend a girl or guy could ever have," Danny said. "May you find all the happiness in the world and more."

"Salut," the other two said, taking a sip.

"And may our friendship last for the rest of our lives and beyond," Corey said back, holding up his glass.

"Salut," they all said again, grinning and taking a sip. Just then, Corey felt hands on his shoulders and looked down to see Molly behind him.

"What are you four doing over here drinking when there's a wedding to be done? Rose is on her way here! Come on, no peeking!" she fussed as she shooed them to take their places.

Father Pachem smiled warmly at Corey as he nervously stumbled into place, winking at him, while Eliza blew her nose loudly from her place in the front row. Jennifer herself was hardly faring much better but Molly was there to pat her hand and also throw a warm smile to Ashley who had just taken her seat across the aisle.

Wearing a white dress of embroidered roses and a fresh wreath of flowers in her hair, Rose finally appeared upon the arm of Albus Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling merrily as they met Corey, who looked a bit shaky on his feet. The three in costume beside him merely grinned at each other as they remembered their own weddings, and Doug looked down at his wife and the small wide-eyed baby sitting on her lap. By Rose's side, Alex's beaming face made her maid of honor dress look all the more pink, while Mandria and Alicia sighed wistfully as they admired Rose's dress. Jennifer couldn't seem to keep her eyes dry as the ceremony progressed, folding her handkerchief over in every possible way until Severus finally offered her one of his. But as she took it and pulled, there was another tied to its end, and another, until Jennifer finally had to stop crying and give her husband a dirty look despite his attempt to ignore her. Thomas rolled his eyes at both of them and murmured something to Boltin who merely smiled in response, while on the other side of them Audi whispered something in Moody's ear that made him gaze at her in sheer terror.

At last, Corey and Rose exchanged rings and were presented before the crowd, and as they kissed a cheer went up that could be heard all the way in Hogsmeade, and a round of guests soon surrounded them for hugs and congratulations.

"I'm going to try to catch the bouquet," Audi sang in a taunting, almost threatening manner.

"You'll do no such thing," Moody said firmly squinting at her.

"Oh, go ahead and let her try," Jennifer laughed at him.

"Aurors don't get married. Wives are a liability," Moody stated.

"Hey!" Ginny said, putting her hands on her hips. Harry folded his arms and grinned at him.

"All right, old Aurors don't get married," he grunted.

"Is it just me, or is he running out of more excuses?" Boltin teased.

"Are you all waiting for this?" Rose said, flirtatiously holding up her bouquet.

"She's going to get it," Jennifer murmured to Severus.

"I heard that," Moody glowered at her, watching with impending doom as Rose cast the spell and tossed it in the air. But Rose wondered if she didn't put a bit too much spin on the throw, for the bouquet zoomed like a bullet and hit Thomas Craw hard in the back of the head, and as he turned around to fight off a possible assailant the bouquet spun in a different direction until it was finally caught… by Alexandria. As the crowd cheered, Jennifer and Severus stared at each other and back at their daughter again.

"Do you suppose it's too late to buy a windowless tower for the house?" Severus murmured.

"It wouldn't work, you know," said someone behind them. Dumbledore leaned on the back of their chairs. "You could spend your life solving all the mysteries in the world, Severus, but I don't think you'll be able to keep your children from growing up."

"Then perhaps it's time we spent a bit more time at home on Baker Street," Severus mused. "And leave the mysteries for someone else."

"Is that another promise we're not going to get involved?" Jennifer said.

"Most definitely," Severus agreed. But Jennifer merely smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, knowing full well it was not a promise that he was likely to keep.

The End of Book 5

_A/N Thanks for reading, hope you liked it, and please review! The next book, _Jennifer Craw and the Return of the Ivory Skull_ is a dark nail-biter...and Jennifer is way over her head again...sigh...but she's hardly the only one. Zoe Black has a thing or two to learn in the next book as well, so I hope you keep reading! JCWriter._


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